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Returning 35 results for 'bards both driven cunning reality'.
Monsters
Mordenkainen's Fiendish Folio Volume 1
of eternity. It has no sense of empathy or compassion, driven only to unmake so that the resulting base elements of reality can fuel the multiverse’s endless cycles of creation and destruction
to parley with Ygorl are known to have been driven to madness in the process.
Death and Destruction. Ygorl’s most notable possession is an adamantine scythe with the slaad word for death
Monsters
The Book of Many Things
multiverse from the Far Realm. They drift through reality like living voids, remaining unseen while searching for souls to consume. When they strike, breath drinkers consume a victim’s personality
causing the creatures to devour themselves.
Cunning stalkers, breath drinkers are usually solitary. Occasionally they serve powerful Far Realm entities or Elder Evils, consuming life and souls for their
Monsters
Mordenkainen's Fiendish Folio Volume 1
cloud giants in the ordning—the set of values and expectations that determines their rank in giant society—is driven by wealth. Those cloud giants foolish or unlucky enough to have their
reward once they return to their proper station, a fog giant lures desperate criminals, cunning bandits, and other raiders into their service in the dismal wilds they inhabit. These giants prefer to
Urchin
Legacy
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Backgrounds
Player’s Handbook (2014)
recuperate. You’ve survived despite all odds, and did so through cunning, strength, speed, or some combination of each.
You begin your adventuring career with enough money to live modestly but
shaped by lives of desperate poverty, for good and for ill. They tend to be driven either by a commitment to the people with whom they shared life on the street or by a burning desire to find a better
Monsters
Mordenkainen Presents: Monsters of the Multiverse
long to delirium. As a result, all followers of the Prince of Demons break with reality sooner or later.Demogorgon’s Lair
Demogorgon makes his lair in a palace called Abysm, found on a layer
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
Fraz-Urb'luu
Legacy
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Monsters
Out of the Abyss
Deception and Demon Lord of Illusions. He uses every trick, every ounce of demonic cunning, to manipulate his enemies—mortal and fiend alike—to do his will. Fraz-Urb’luu can create
elaborate fantasies that have no bearing on reality. When I return my focus to the world, I have a hard time remembering that it was just a daydream.”
61–80
“I convince myself that
Monsters
Mordenkainen's Fiendish Folio Volume 1
, their lack of cunning foiled her plans. Many tumbled into the sea and drowned, too simpleminded and impatient to learn how to swim. Others smashed caravans and crushed their defenders most effectively
bad luck a gull might happen to land near a crab folk lair and utter the right combination of cries to summon up this ancient compulsion. Driven to action, the crab folk rampage along the coast
Monsters
Mordenkainen's Fiendish Folio Volume 1
demands of the Nine Hells and the impulsive hedonism of the Feywild. Driven by dramatic and unpredictable emotions, these feral creatures wreak havoc wherever they go.
Corrupted Essence. The devils
, chaotic, and temperamental nature they all share. When its diabolical aspect shines through, a forlarren is a cunning, calculating, and brutal enemy. It might use its natural charm to worm its way
Backgrounds
Baldur’s Gate: Descent into Avernus
elements, and endured sickness without the advantage of medicine or a place to recuperate. You’ve survived despite all odds, and did so through cunning, strength, speed, or some combination of each
of desperate poverty, for good and for ill. They tend to be driven either by a commitment to the people with whom they shared life on the street or by a burning desire to find a better life &mdash
Shifter
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Species
Eberron: Rising from the Last War
personality: a feline shifter may be cool and distant, driven by predatory instincts, while a shifter with a lupine spirit might be drawn to find and protect a pack. When a shifter fully embraces this beast
also be a cunning rat who darts through the shadows.
Wildhunt shifters are born from any creature that tracks its prey.
While the beast within certainly has a physical impact on a shifter, it has a
Monsters
Quests from the Infinite Staircase
another plane—or another reality entirely.
When Asmodeus ascended the infernal hierarchy, he and his legions wiped out most of the plane’s earlier inhabitants, but Zargon proved beyond even
Hells in disgust, banishing the elder evil to the Material Plane. The horn was driven deep into the earth where it fell, entombing Zargon below.
Eventually a civilization arose above Zargon’s
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->Volo's Guide to Monsters
alien intelligence, inhuman forms of perception, and the ability to shape reality through force of will — or even by their mere presence. Inside the comfortable confines of its subterranean lair, a
is the natural companion to eternal vigilance. Beholders are among the few creatures that can shape reality in their vicinity. In addition, beholders don’t truly sleep when they rest. Instead, a
Compendium
- Sources->Dungeons & Dragons->Monster Manual
Lich Deathless Master of Magic Habitat: Any; Treasure: Arcana Viko Menezes An ancient lich and her ghast gravecaller attendants warp reality with forbidden magic Some nefarious magic-users carry out
own corpses as they pursue ambitions free from mortal bonds. Liches possess exceptional cunning and magical prowess, and they use their unnatural immortality to pursue arcane secrets few could grasp in
Compendium
- Sources->Dungeons & Dragons->Van Richten’s Guide to Ravenloft
emerges through imagination and the indescribable, not details. At its best, cosmic horror makes characters feel gradually unmoored from their familiar reality. Cosmic horror is about ineffable forces
driven by motivations humans can’t understand. Cults, forbidden books, and strange symbols form the cornerstones of cosmic horror. The genre has a history of framing marginalized demographics as monstrous and stigmatizing mental illness. Be aware and avoid those tropes.
Monsters
Curse of Strahd
.
Stake to the Heart. If a piercing weapon made of wood is driven into his heart while he is incapacitated in his coffin, he is paralyzed until the stake is removed.
Sunlight Hypersensitivity. While
intelligently and do everything you can to make him a terrifying and cunning adversary for the player characters.
When you run an encounter with Strahd, keep the following facts in mind:
Strahd
Compendium
- Sources->Dungeons & Dragons->Vecna: Eve of Ruin
first iteration of physical reality, which was subsequently sundered into the innumerable realities that now make up the Material Plane. The first inhabitant of this First World was Sardior, a ruby
is worshiped as a god, with clerics at her disposal. Mortals who covet wealth and power pledge their lives to the dragon queen. Tiamat can send a fragment of her power to the Material Plane, which manifests as a titanic, five-headed dragon driven by rampaging greed.
Compendium
- Sources->Dungeons & Dragons->Eberron: Rising from the Last War
Lhesh Haruuc remains as the ruler of Darguun, and many fear that his death could throw the region into chaos. As a Ghaal’dar goblinoid, you hold your place through cunning and strength. You may have
been a former mercenary now seeking adventure. You could be working as an emissary for one of the Ghaal’dar tribes or even Lhesh Haruuc himself. Or you could have been driven from your tribe by the actions of a rival; perhaps you’re seeking allies to reclaim your birthright.
Compendium
- Sources->Dungeons & Dragons->Eberron: Rising from the Last War
are the tool you will use to change reality. Practiced by many kalashtar, the Path of Light seeks to change reality by first bringing change within, using meditation to focus the mind and athletic
light. Violence is never the answer, and the only way to defeat evil is to redeem it. Lightbringers seek to inspire those who live in fear and enlighten those whose evil is driven by ignorance. The
Compendium
- Sources->Dungeons & Dragons->Wayfinder's Guide to Eberron
born in the wild, and your wits and your weapons helped you survive. Talenta warriors are often barbarians or rangers, relying on speed and skill. However, cunning and charisma are equally important
, and bards and rogues certainly have a place on the plains. Outlander is a logical background, but you could easily be a bold folk hero, a dashing entertainer, or a clever charlatan. You could even be an
Compendium
- Sources->Dungeons & Dragons->Wayfinder's Guide to Eberron
the ruler of Darguun, and many fear that his death could throw the region into chaos. Among the Ghaal’dar, you hold your place through cunning and strength. As a Ghaal’dar goblinoid, you may have been
a former mercenary now seeking adventure. You could be working as an emissary for one of the Ghaal’dar tribes, or even Lhesh Haruuc himself. Or you could have been driven from your tribe by the
Compendium
- Sources->Dungeons & Dragons->Wayfinder's Guide to Eberron
takes shape. The beast within is a pool of powerful instincts, and its influence is revealed by a shifter’s personality: a feline shifter may be cool and distant, driven by predatory instincts, while
with a pack. Swiftstride are often predatory and feline, but a swiftstride could also be a cunning rat who darts through the shadows. Wildhunt shifters are born from any creature that tracks its prey
Compendium
- Sources->Dungeons & Dragons->Basic Rules (2014)
Boon option produces a special creature or an object that reflects your patron’s nature.
Pact of the Chain. Your familiar is more cunning than a typical familiar. Its default form can be a
iron, holding spells of conjuration and a wealth of forbidden lore about the sinister regions of the cosmos, a gift of the Fiend. Or it could be the tattered diary of a lunatic driven mad by contact
Compendium
- Sources->Dungeons & Dragons->Eberron: Rising from the Last War
personality takes shape. The beast within is a pool of powerful instincts, and its influence is revealed by a shifter’s personality: a feline shifter may be cool and distant, driven by predatory instincts
traits and prefer to run with a pack. Swiftstride are often predatory and feline, but a swiftstride could also be a cunning rat who darts through the shadows. Wildhunt shifters are born from any creature
Compendium
- Sources->Dungeons & Dragons->Wayfinder's Guide to Eberron
. Drive all doubt from your heart and you will see reality through new eyes. The Cults of the Dragon Below are wildly diverse. The tenets above describe the beliefs of three different cults, and the
flayers and beholders. Others are simply driven by deep convictions that others see as madness. Outsiders use the term “Cult of the Dragon Below” as a blanket term to describe all of these things, but
Compendium
- Sources->Dungeons & Dragons->Quests from the Infinite Staircase
-lived devils and occult sages theorize Zargon and its kind were invaders from another plane—or another reality entirely. When Asmodeus ascended the infernal hierarchy, he and his legions wiped out most
. Finally, Asmodeus cast Zargon’s horn from the Nine Hells in disgust, banishing the elder evil to the Material Plane. The horn was driven deep into the earth where it fell, entombing Zargon below
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->Monster Manual (2014)
, driven to rule over all. A dracolich is a fiendishly intelligent tyrant that crafts complex webs of foul schemes, attracting servants motivated by greed and a lust for power. Acting from the shadows
and actively plotting to keep its existence a secret, a dracolich is a cunning and challenging foe. Dracolich Phylacteries. Creating a dracolich requires the cooperation of the dragon and a group of
Compendium
- Sources->Dungeons & Dragons->Wayfinder's Guide to Eberron
a lively debate on the current state of the Race of Eight Winds. Detention is run by a halfling who calls herself Brandy. She claims to be a excoriate, driven from House Ghallanda after refusing to
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
Compendium
- Sources->Dungeons & Dragons->Mythic Odysseys of Theros
persuasive than facts. These bards wield a blend of logic and theatrical wordplay, winning over skeptics and detractors with logical arguments and plucking at heartstrings to appeal to the emotions of
next saving throw it makes before the start of your next turn. Unfailing Inspiration 6th-level College of Eloquence feature Your inspiring words are so persuasive that others feel driven to succeed. When
Compendium
- Sources->Dungeons & Dragons->Eberron: Rising from the Last War
, not from faith. Cults driven by madness have a warped view of reality. A cultist might believe aberrations are a higher form of life and that the daelkyr will elevate mortals. Other cultists may not
, and you will see reality through new eyes. The Korranberg
Chronicle
Raid Reveals Cult Chaos
The people of Fairhaven were shocked by the revelation of bizarre cult activity in the center of one of
Compendium
- Sources->Dungeons & Dragons->The Book of Many Things
studies are driven by a desire to manipulate reality. Flames Your magical ability stems from a gamble you made with a Fiend—though you’re not sure if you won or lost. Fool You use your arcane prowess to
Compendium
- Sources->Dungeons & Dragons->Mythic Odysseys of Theros
Keranos as Campaign Villain Because Keranos doesn’t readily concern himself with quandaries of good versus evil, it is easy to use him as a villain. The god might be driven by frustration at mortals
unique physical laws and strange truths. Some of the inhabitants escape the isle and begin infecting the rest of Theros with their alternate reality.
Compendium
- Sources->Dungeons & Dragons->Baldur's Gate: Descent into Avernus
combat, carving out vicious fiefdoms for themselves. Mad Maggie is one such warlord. Mad Maggie is a night hag with the demeanor of a kindly grandmother, but her warm smile masks a cruel cunning. In
crucible of the Avernian wastelands, Mad Maggie has risen to become a respected warlord.
Mad Maggie and Mickey
Maggie’s Goals Driven by her lust for misery and her delight in the corruption of the
Orc
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Species
Volo's Guide to Monsters
created the orcs and continues to direct their destiny. He is aided and abetted by the other warrior deities, Bahgtru and Ilneval, who bring strength and cunning to the battlefield. The followers of all
; their loyalty by turning them into slaves.
If a tribe is defeated and driven from its lair, the survivors might come under the sway of a strong but dimwitted creature, such as a hill giant or an ogre