bears before down complex rather

Khargra

Monsters Mordenkainen's Fiendish Folio Volume 1

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

khargras as couriers. Making use of these creatures' odd digestive systems, their masters sprinkle iron dust on a scroll or other organic item that bears a message. The khargra devours the missive

Ivana's Whisper (Inhaled)

Equipment

This poison bears a distinct scent and chemical message from Ivana Boritsi. A creature subjected to this poison must succeed on a DC 18 Constitution saving throw or experience the effects of a dream

spell created by Ivana the next time they sleep. This poison is nonmagical, and Ivana doesn’t directly communicate with those affected during the dream. Rather, she creates the illusion of

Reborn

Species Van Richten’s Guide to Ravenloft

sensations or visions of the past to come rushing back. Rather than sleeping, reborn regularly sit and dwell on the past, hoping for some revelation of what came before. Most of the time, these are dark

alongside complex designs for clockwork organs. 6 You were released after being petrified for generations. Your memories have faded, though, and your body isn’t what it once was. 7 Your

Nass Lantomir's Ghost

Monsters Icewind Dale: Rime of the Frostmaiden

overheard her master talking to another wizard about a covert expedition to Icewind Dale being undertaken to seek out long-lost magic from a bygone empire. Rather than carry out her original plan, Nass

. Nass’s personal sigil is inscribed on the spine, which also bears the title Lantomir’s Traveling Libram. The tome contains the following spells: clairvoyance, cloud of daggers, counterspell

Tabaxi Legacy

Species Volo's Guide to Monsters

of the world beyond their home. Barterers of Lore Tabaxi treasure knowledge rather than material things. A chest filled with gold coins might be useful to buy food or a coil of rope, but it’s

on a particularly interesting item when an owner refuses to sell or trade it. Tabaxi Names Each tabaxi has a single name, determined by clan and based on a complex formula that involves astrology

Chapter 2: Traps Revisited

Compendium - Sources->Dungeons & Dragons->Xanathar's Guide to Everything

elaborate approach — describing traps in terms of their game mechanics and offering guidance on creating traps of your own using these new rules. Rather than characterize traps as mechanical or magical, these rules separate traps into two other categories: simple and complex.

Symbol

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

Symbol The primary symbol of the faith is the zaelshin, an amulet that bears the seal of your patron ancestor and worn either as a brooch or embedded in the forehead of a helmet. A devotee of the

faith typically wears a veil—the zaelta, or “spirit mask”—over their lower face while in battle or performing rituals, so an opponent sees the zaelshin rather than the living elf. The zaelshin is the

Letters of Recommendation

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

Letters of Recommendation A benefactor might provide adventurers with a letter of recommendation rather than payment. Such a letter is usually enclosed in a handsome folio, case, or scroll tube for

safe transport, and it usually bears the signature and seal of whoever wrote it. A letter of recommendation from a person of impeccable reputation can grant adventurers access to NPCs whom they would

Character Advancement

Compendium - Sources->Dungeons & Dragons->Quests from the Infinite Staircase

Character Advancement If you want to use story-based level advancement, the characters receive experience points for achieving the following milestones rather than defeating monsters: Encountering a

advancement occurs only once, even if the characters later encounter another faction leader. Entering the Tomb Complex. When the characters enter the fourth tier of the ziggurat for the first time

Shard of the Accursed

Compendium - Sources->Dungeons & Dragons->Keys from the Golden Vault

Shard of the Accursed An Adventure for 8th-Level Characters A mysterious shard made of obsidian places a curse on everyone who bears it. When the shard comes into the characters’ possession, they

’ intrusion. This adventure isn’t a typical heist; rather, it’s a reverse heist. Instead of retrieving a valuable item, the characters are tasked with returning one to its proper place. An unearthed tomb holds the key to saving a nearby town, as adventurers are about to discover

Arrival at Haruun

Compendium - Sources->Dungeons & Dragons->Candlekeep Mysteries

characters arrive, read the following: The landscape around you bears the scars of a purple worm’s habitation, a complex of caves that collapsed as the worm created its rubble-filled tunnels. You see

centuries, all the caverns except one have been reduced to rubble as the area fell under the sway of a purple worm. Only a small section of the old cavern complex now remains—the Hall of Rainbows. When the

Allies, Minions, and Pets

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

the opportunity presents itself, kobolds would rather not try to enslave or hire any intelligent creatures because they can’t trust such creatures to not turn on them. Kobolds are good, however, at

space in which to move and are found only in lairs that feature large caves or close access to the surface world. Kobolds are cautious and fearful of bears, since bears often seek to live in caves and

Anvilwrought

Compendium - Sources->Dungeons & Dragons->Mythic Odysseys of Theros

Anvilwrought You were forged in the fires of Purphoros’s forge. Your appearance bears a metallic sheen and visible joints. The Anvilwrought Characteristics table suggests details of your life or

Rest. When you take a long rest, you must spend at least six hours in an inactive, motionless state, rather than sleeping. In this state, you appear inert, but it doesn’t render you unconscious, and

Ivana's Intrigues

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

. The following example combines an inhaled poison and the dream spell, creating a tool Ivana uses to manipulate her agents. Ivana’s Whisper (Inhaled). This poison bears a distinct scent and chemical

. This poison is nonmagical, and Ivana doesn’t directly communicate with those affected during the dream. Rather, she creates the illusion of speaking with her intended target by alchemically crafting

Past and Present

Compendium - Sources->Dungeons & Dragons->Spelljammer: Adventures in Space->Astral Adventurer’s Guide

, attracting profit-seekers, adventurers, and other more respectable types. Upon Cozar’s death, the rule of Bral passed to Frun, his son and heir. Frun was far from an able politician. Rather, he was a hedonist

only notable accomplishments were the renovation of the royal palace and the construction of the arena that bears his name. Frun was succeeded by his son, Calar, whose bearing and tastes resembled

Traps in Play

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

sides, a mechanism inside fires a hail of poison needles toward anyone in front of it. After inspecting the chest and making a few checks, the characters are still unsure if it's trapped. Rather than

24d10 Complex Traps Complex traps work like standard traps, except once activated they execute a series of actions each round. A complex trap turns the process of dealing with a trap into something more

Traps in Play

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

sides, a mechanism inside fires a hail of poison needles toward anyone in front of it. After inspecting the chest and making a few checks, the characters are still unsure if it’s trapped. Rather than

18d10 24d10 Complex Traps Complex traps work like standard traps, except once activated they execute a series of actions each round. A complex trap turns the process of dealing with a trap into something

Kobold Legacy

Species Volo's Guide to Monsters

other useful items, but if they are at risk of discovery, they run away rather than attack anyone in the house. By fleeing before they can be seen or identified, they avoid getting into a situation

divination (to find raw materials and foresee threats to the tribe). The main reason why kobolds depend on arcane magic rather than divine is Kurtulmak’s imprisonment, which makes it difficult for

Keep Features

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

Keep Features The water cultists are busy repairing Rivergard, but parts of the complex remain inaccessible. For example, the upper floors of the north tower and the water tower are filled with

. He leads bandits, who work for money rather than ideology, and water cultists. Only some of the commoner servants lack loyalty to Grimjaw and the cult. Doors. Interior doors are made of wood. It

15. Outer Door and Foyer

Compendium - Sources->Dungeons & Dragons->Waterdeep: Dungeon of the Mad Mage

15. Outer Door and Foyer The tower entrance is on the eastern side of the stalagmite and offers the only access to Ezzat’s lair. Outer Door Bas-Relief. The outward-facing side of the door bears a bas

is his residence. Far removed from their resting places, they have nowhere to go if their physical forms are destroyed. A drow vampire reduced to 72 hit points or fewer attempts to flee rather than

The Great Wheel

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

between Bytopia and Arcadia; rather, this theoretical positioning is based on the philosophical shading among the three planes and the relative importance they give to law and good. Other

deities and Fiends reside Planes arranged in a complex system of orbits, with planes exerting greater influence on the Material Plane the closer they draw to it

Communication and Disposition

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

refusal to do so automatically prompts an attack. In such an attack, the lizardfolk’s first priority is the expulsion, rather than the death, of the intruders, but they fight to the death if provoked. Once

. Lizardfolk rarely use metaphors or complex sentences. Their speech is almost always literal — halting, but not primitive. They might pick up the meaning of an idiom, but only with some difficulty. Names

Basilisk

Compendium - Sources->Dungeons & Dragons->Monster Manual

jaws. Rather than chasing prey, they use their supernatural gaze to turn creatures to stone and then consume these victims at their leisure. While basilisks are most comfortable in subterranean lairs

Animals like bats, bears, deer, or goats. 3 A climber clinging to a stalactite. 4 Itself using a large mirror or shiny surface. 5 A mimic disguised as a chest full of treasure. 6 A monster such as an

Iroas as Campaign Villain

Compendium - Sources->Dungeons & Dragons->Mythic Odysseys of Theros

victory or by cleaving to stubbornly held ideas. Although a campaign against Iroas might be straightforward in how the action plays out, the underlying causes of conflict could be quite complex

, forms a group in support of Mogis. Iroas, rather than accepting Heliod’s aid, launches a grand campaign of his own against his brother. 3 Mogis arms one of his champions with an axe capable of

Secret

Compendium - Sources->Dungeons & Dragons->Xanathar's Guide to Everything

cleric is an ordained servant of a particular god and chooses a Divine Domain associated with that deity. The cleric’s magic flows from the god or the god’s sacred realm, and often the cleric bears a

holy symbol that represents that divinity. Some clerics, especially in a world like Eberron, serve a whole pantheon, rather than a single deity. In certain campaigns, a cleric might instead serve a

Pharika's Influence

Compendium - Sources->Dungeons & Dragons->Mythic Odysseys of Theros

inevitable effects of aging or the petrification of her medusa children’s victims. Pharika’s Goals To Pharika, Theros is an ongoing experiment and mortals are her agents in carrying it out. Rather than

Pharika’s medicinal virtues, and she is always seeking subtle ways to use city-states in her experiments without provoking her peers. She disdains Ephara’s and Karametra’s desire to tame the world rather

19. Obo'laka's Shrine

Compendium - Sources->Dungeons & Dragons->Tomb of Annihilation

carved with images of snarling bears with long, sharp claws. The shrine to the trickster god Obo’laka (represented by a zorbo) contains one of nine puzzle cubes needed to enter the Tomb of the Nine Gods

. 19A. Shrine Entrance A plaque above the shrine’s entrance bears the following message in Old Omuan: “Obo’laka teaches us to tread warily and stay in the light.” This message sheds light on how to

Skeleton

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

complex tasks. A skeleton can fight with weapons and wear armor, can load and fire a catapult or trebuchet, scale a siege ladder, form a shield wall, or dump boiling oil. However, it must receive

careful instructions explaining how such tasks are accomplished. Although they lack the intellect they possessed in life, skeletons aren’t mindless. Rather than break its limbs attempting to batter its

Speakers for the Ancestors

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

complex relationship with her homeland. While she loves Akharin Sangar, she refuses to bend to the will of its angelic ruler, Atash. Rather than oppose him directly, she plays a delicate political game

under the law. Simultaneously, they manage a complex relationship with the founding civilizations. The Speakers’ first duty is to the Radiant Citadel, which sometimes puts them at odds with the

Xanthoria's Defeat

Compendium - Sources->Dungeons & Dragons->Candlekeep Mysteries

. Convincing Thunderwing to give up her life should be handled through roleplaying rather than ability checks, although you can require the characters to succeed on a DC 15 Charisma (Persuasion) group

brought back to life by any means. If the adventurers fail to convince Thunderwing to give up her life, she turns invisible and leaves the cave complex, taking refuge in the surrounding forest. Xanthoria re

Studies and Philosophy

Compendium - Sources->Dungeons & Dragons->Strixhaven: A Curriculum of Chaos

view celebrates the diversity and adaptability of life-forms, from the tiniest cells to the most complex networks of living things. The growth philosophy asserts that the urge to survive and

philosophy of Witherbloom. The decay philosophy sees life energy as a resource to be consumed, rather than a good to be nourished for its own sake. Mages who adopt this view wield negative energy and

Speakers for the Ancestors

Compendium - Sources->Dungeons & Dragons->The Radiant Citadel

complex relationship with her homeland. While she loves Akharin Sangar, she refuses to bend to the will of its angelic ruler, Atash. Rather than oppose him directly, she plays a delicate political game

under the law. Simultaneously, they manage a complex relationship with the founding civilizations. The Speakers’ first duty is to the Radiant Citadel, which sometimes puts them at odds with the

1. Entry Hall

Compendium - Sources->Dungeons & Dragons->Waterdeep: Dungeon of the Mad Mage

the praises of its excellent students and their devotion to arcane magic. It claims to have a vested interest in all that happens inside Undermountain and bears no ill will toward adventurers who

the characters choose to deal with the bone devil rather than give up their magic items, the headmaster leads them south through areas 2, 3, 6, 38, 39, and 46. It waits for them in area 46b while

15. Mecha-Halaster

Compendium - Sources->Dungeons & Dragons->Waterdeep: Dungeon of the Mad Mage

dwarf carved into its lid, the rim of which bears the following inscription in Dwarvish: “Here lies Lulz Klangphorn, trapsmith. He is survived by his work.” The lid can be pushed aside with a singular

and clank loudly, as though a complex trap has been set in motion. The effect, though harmless, is meant to frighten tomb robbers. After 1 minute, the noise stops.

Rumors and Legends

Compendium - Sources->Dungeons & Dragons->Lost Laboratory of Kwalish

exist escaped from its hold and now populate the mountains. 16–25 Kwalish did not perish on his expedition. He alone survived, taking shelter in some complex he found in the peaks. 26–30 Fey woods

, most folk know of Kwalish’s most famous realized design, the apparatus that bears his name. But sages and arcanists know of other designs he drafted, including one for a mechanical container that could

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