based before dark compounds races

Deathless Rider

Monsters Monstrous Compendium Vol. 4: Eldraine Creatures

Queen, who rules from a castle called Dynnistan. It isn’t known whether these legends are based on any true experience or are simply the result of imagination trying to account for a terrifying and

called lich-knights or fell horsemen. In stark contrast to the knights of Eldraine, the deathless riders are without virtue of any kind. They are few in number—unless many more lurk in the dark

Human Legacy

Species Basic Rules (2014)

reckonings of most worlds, humans are the youngest of the common races, late to arrive on the world scene and short-lived in comparison to dwarves, elves, and dragons. Perhaps it is because of their

shorter lives that they strive to achieve as much as they can in the years they are given. Or maybe they feel they have something to prove to the elder races, and that’s why they build their mighty

Vellynne Harpell

Monsters Icewind Dale: Rime of the Frostmaiden

family, based in the town of Longsaddle. Cold and dispassionate, she took to magic only a decade ago in her late forties and is skilled in the arcane tradition of necromancy. She has a lifelong struggle

—a nervous disorder that manifests as trembling. It can affect her balance and her stride, but she has learned to cast her spells unimpeded by it. Despite her firm grasp of the dark arts, she

Xardorok Sunblight

Monsters Icewind Dale: Rime of the Frostmaiden

increases in size, along with anything he is wearing or carrying. While enlarged, Xardorok is Large, doubles his damage dice on Strength-based weapon attacks (included in his attacks), and makes

the Spine of the World. In the guise of Deep Duerra, the duergar god of conquest, the archdevil Asmodeus visited Xardorok and urged him to conquer Icewind Dale, beginning with Ten-Towns. Dark

Vedalken

Species Guildmasters’ Guide to Ravnica

with ideas than with people. They form close friendships based on mutual interests or compelling disagreements, and their interactions dwell on their thoughts about those issues rather than their

feelings about them. To members of other races, vedalken often seem cold, even emotionless. That assessment isn’t fair—they feel emotion every bit as intensely as other folk do, but they are

Yuan-ti Pureblood Legacy

Species Volo's Guide to Monsters

; Elminster The serpent creatures known as yuan-ti are all that remains of an ancient, decadent human empire. Ages ago their dark gods taught them profane, cannibalistic rituals to mix their flesh

with that of snakes, producing a caste-based society of hybrids in which the most snakelike are the leaders and the most humanlike are spies and agents in foreign lands. Humans Transformed The

Aasimar Legacy

Species Mordenkainen Presents: Monsters of the Multiverse

dark eyes 3 Starkly colored hair 4 An unusual hue tinting your shadow 5 A ghostly halo crowning your head 6 Rainbows gleaming on your skin Creating Your Character At

violent end on an adventure. Members of some races, such as dwarves and elves, can live for centuries. If typical members of a race can live longer than a century, that fact is mentioned in the race’s

Elf Legacy

Species Basic Rules (2014)

of many other races. They are slightly shorter than humans on average, ranging from well under 5 feet tall to just over 6 feet. They are more slender than humans, weighing only 100 to 145 pounds

enjoy simple yet lovely jewelry. A Timeless Perspective Elves can live well over 700 years, giving them a broad perspective on events that might trouble the shorter-lived races more deeply. They are

Triton Legacy

Species Volo's Guide to Monsters

extended their stewardship over the sea floor from their initial settlements and built outposts to create trade with other races. Despite this expansion, few folk know of them. Their settlements are so

the tritons’ role as the world’s true protectors. Staunch Champions Despite their off-putting manners, tritons are benevolent creatures at heart, convinced that other civilized races

Chapter 1: Fantastical Races

Compendium - Sources->Dungeons & Dragons->Monsters of the Multiverse

of these races are based on creatures that appear in the Monster Manual or the bestiary of this book. Consult with your DM to see whether an option here is appropriate for your campaign. If you do use a race in this chapter, first read the “Creating Your Character” section below.

Chapter 1: Fantastical Races Gathering together fantastical races from throughout the D&D multiverse, this chapter offers the following races for player characters, supplementing the race options in

Lizardfolk Legacy

Species Volo's Guide to Monsters

smooth-skins is far greater. Despite their alien outlook, some lizardfolk make an effort to understand and, in their own manner, befriend people of other races. Such lizardfolk make faithful and

rage against their enemies. They simply observe and react as a situation warrants. Lizardfolk lack meaningful emotional ties to the past. They assess situations based on their current and future

Yeonido Features

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

spirits called gwishin. People. Humans and dragonborn are the most populous folk in Yeonido. Humans from Yeonido are primarily dark-haired and dark-eyed, and dragonborn have colorings based on their

Menzoberranzan

Compendium - Sources->Dungeons & Dragons->Out of the Abyss

Menzoberranzan Population: 20,000 drow plus thousands of slaves (of various races) Government: Matriarchal theocracy worshiping Lolth, the Demon Queen of Spiders Defense: Large standing army of

city), the Church of Lolth (based in Arach-Tinilith), Bregan D’aerthe (company of drow spies, mercenaries, and assassins) The City of Spiders is carved out of and built within a great cavern the

Worlds of Adventure

Compendium - Sources->Dungeons & Dragons->Basic Rules (2014)

villains. Some races have unusual traits in different worlds. The halflings of the Dark Sun setting, for example, are jungle-dwelling cannibals, and the elves are desert nomads. Some worlds feature races

have been published as official settings for the D&D game. The legends of the Forgotten Realms, Dragonlance, Greyhawk, Dark Sun, Mystara, and Eberron settings are woven together in the fabric of the

Worlds of Adventure

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

villains. Some races have unusual traits in different worlds. The halflings of the Dark Sun setting, for example, are jungle-dwelling cannibals, and the elves are desert nomads. Some worlds feature races

have been published as official settings for the D&D game. The legends of the Forgotten Realms, Dragonlance, Greyhawk, Dark Sun, Mystara, and Eberron settings are woven together in the fabric of the

Barovians and Nonhumans

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

Barovians and Nonhumans Barovians are human. Although they know that dwarves, elves, halflings and other civilized races exist, few living Barovians have seen such “creatures,” let alone interacted

with them. Aside from the secretive dusk elves of Vallaki (see chapter 5), the only nonhumans most Barovians are familiar with are the adventurers that Strahd has lured to his dark realm. Barovians

Background

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

Dark Lady. Although based on a faulty premise, this side trek is hardly a waste of time for the characters. If they play their cards right, they can obtain a historical perspective on Elemental Evil that only Nurvureem can provide.

Background The Dark Lady — a nickname for Nurvureem often whispered in shuddering fear — received a delegation of elemental cultists months ago. They came seeking the Dark Lady’s aid. Nurvureem not

Goliath Legacy

Species Elemental Evil Player's Companion

skills. This dedication to competition has a dark side. Goliaths are ferocious competitors, but above all else they are driven to outdo their past efforts. If a goliath slays a dragon, he or she might

, committed by the goliath. Goliaths assign and use nicknames with their friends of other races, and change them to refer to an individual’s notable deeds. Goliaths present all three names when

Ancient Sapphire Dragon

Monsters Fizban's Treasury of Dragons

horns and spines shift slightly with the dragons’ moods, bobbing in amusement or flaring with anger. Art of War The warlike sapphire dragons devise strategies and ambushes based on their

the lair. Cobweb-Choked Tunnels. Adventurers who manage to access the other side of the cave’s crystal walls discover a network of dark, cobweb-choked tunnels extending deep into the earth, set

Symbol

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

Symbol The Hexagram represents the entire pantheon of the Dark Six. The Deities of Eberron table lists the common symbols of the individual gods. However, since the Six aren’t worshiped openly in

most of Khorvaire, each sect chooses a unique symbol based on the nature of their god. Followers of the Devourer might carry a shark’s tooth or a piece of wood scorched in a wildfire. A Keeper cult might

Yuan-ti: Snake People

Compendium - Sources->Dungeons & Dragons->Volo's Guide to Monsters

Yuan-ti: Snake People The serpent creatures known as yuan-ti are all that remains of an ancient, decadent human empire. Ages ago their dark gods taught them profane, cannibalistic rituals to mix

their flesh with that of snakes, producing a caste-based society of hybrids in which the most snakelike are the leaders and the most humanlike are spies and agents in foreign lands. Ye cannot goad one of

Piwafwi (Cloak of Elvenkind)

Compendium - Sources->Dungeons & Dragons->Out of the Abyss

Piwafwi (Cloak of Elvenkind) Wondrous item, uncommon (requires attunement) This dark spider-silk cloak is made by drow. It is a cloak of elvenkind (see chapter 7, “Treasure,” of the Dungeon Master’s

Guide). It loses its magic if exposed to sunlight for 1 hour without interruption. DROWCRAFT ITEMS Magic items crafted by the drow — and often other races of the Underdark — use components and

Deep Gnomes (Svirfneblin)

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

grandest deep gnome strongholds, which existed for more than two thousand years until it was overrun a little more than a century ago by the dark elves of Menzoberranzan. The deep gnomes recently reclaimed

their old home, and now struggle to rid it of malign influences that have crept into the tunnels and warrens in their absence. Deep gnomes are lean with dark, earthen skin tones of gray. Males are bald

Flavors of Fantasy

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

this baseline: a multitude of humanoid races coexist with humans in fantastic worlds. Adventurers bring magical powers to bear against the monstrous threats they face. These characters typically come

selfish reasons. Technology and society are based on medieval norms, though the culture isn’t necessarily European. Campaigns often revolve around delving into ancient dungeons in search of treasure or in

The True Threat

Compendium - Sources->Dungeons & Dragons->Ghosts of Saltmarsh

aquatic races. The lizardfolk’s main purpose is to form an army to expel the sahuagin from the area. In so doing, they hope to discourage the sahuagin from ever again intruding on the region. The

lizardfolk have not approached Saltmarsh with an offer to join the alliance because Othokent, their queen, considers humans and other land-dwelling races as of little use in a battle to be fought largely

Chapter 1: Prisoners of the Drow

Compendium - Sources->Dungeons & Dragons->Out of the Abyss

races and creatures too numerous to count or list, and foremost among these are the dark elves — the drow. Hated and feared even by their fellow dwellers in darkness, the drow raid other settlements

entertainment in the dark elves’ subterranean cities. The adventurers have all had the misfortune of falling to such a fate. Captured by the drow, they are prisoners at one of the dark elves’ outposts

Eberron Sourcebooks

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

Masters with a richly detailed city for their Xen’drik based campaigns, this supplement presents information on the movers and shakers of Stormreach, ready-to-use adversaries, adventure hooks, and

religions of Eberron, including the rival pantheons of the Sovereign Host and the Dark Six, the young faith of the Silver Flame, and the mysterious Blood of Vol. Five Nations (3.5E): This provides

Self-Sufficient Clans

Compendium - Sources->Dungeons & Dragons->Basic Rules (2014)

to fail, and they push themselves to extreme efforts before they give up on something. A dragonborn holds mastery of a particular skill as a lifetime goal. Members of other races who share the same

for such help is the clan, and when a clan needs help, it turns to another dragonborn clan before seeking aid from other races — or even from the gods. DRACONIANS In the Dragonlance setting, the

Orc Legacy

Species Volo's Guide to Monsters

hatred of the civilized races of the world and their need to satisfy the demands of their deities, the orcs know that if they fight well and bring glory to their tribe, Gruumsh will call them home to

who serve Yurtrus and Shargaas. Some are sent forth into the cities dominated by humans, on dark missions. Beware them. — Elminster Search, Destroy, Repeat When a tribe is on the move, orc

Elf Adventurers

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

crusaders or heroes for hire. This aspect of elven life isn’t as well known among other races as it might be, because elves spend much of their “adventuring” years in places far away from other

elves are born with or develop the qualities that mark them as potential adventurers, as other races define the term. Many traditional adventuring groups are happy to count an elf among their members, and

Other Elements

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

Other Elements Replace any mention of deities specific to the Forgotten Realms setting with appropriate Greyhawk deities. For example, the knights based in Summit Hall should be followers of

potential allies for a character who belongs to the right faction.) In addition, the Elder Elemental Eye might be an aspect of the imprisoned god Tharizdun, a dark power of destruction, entropy, and

The Ordning

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

The Ordning Each of the main giant races — the cloud giant, fire giant, frost giant, hill giant, stone giant, and storm giants — are related by common elements of history, religion, and culture. They

view one another as kindred, keeping any inherent animosity over territory and ambition to a minimum. Giants belong to a caste structure called the ordning. Based on social class and highly organized

Setting the Tone

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

their lives, humiliate their rivals, and figure out what to wear to the Crystalfall dance. You can play up the humor in this scenario, but it can be just as dark as Callestan if you choose. A Morgrave

use story-based advancement instead of standard XP. Level advancement could be based on time: player characters gain one level each semester, leveling up after finals. Alternately, advancement could

Gemstones

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

the kind of gemstones found, based on their value. You can roll once and assume all the gems are the same or roll multiple times to create mixed collections. 10 GP Gemstones 1d12 Stone 1 Azurite

(light and dark blue with yellow flecks) 7 Malachite (striated light and dark green) 8 Moss agate (pink or yellow white with mossy gray or green markings) 9 Obsidian (black) 10 Rhodochrosite (light pink

Diseases

Compendium - Sources->Dungeons & Dragons->Basic Rules (2014)

wasting illness. A warlock offends some dark power and contracts a strange affliction that spreads whenever he casts spells. A simple outbreak might amount to little more than a small drain on party

might affect only constructs or undead, or sweep through a halfling neighborhood but leave other races untouched. What matters is the story you want to tell.

D&D Beyond

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