been before decay concept rather

Water Weird Legacy

Monsters Monster Manual (2014)

those its summoner declares as off limits. When slain, a water weird becomes an inanimate pool of water. Good and Evil Weirds. Like most elementals, a water weird has no concept of good or evil

interlopers rather than kill them, while a neutral evil water weird kills its victims for pleasure and might turn against its summoner. A water weird loses its evil alignment if its waters are cleansed

Goliath Legacy

Species Elemental Evil Player's Companion

the goliath concept of fair play. A permanently injured goliath is still expected to pull his or her weight in the tribe. Typically, such a goliath dies attempting to keep up, or the goliath slips

away in the night to seek the cold will of fate. In some ways, the goliath drive to outdo themselves feeds into the grim inevitability of their decline and death. A goliath would much rather die in

Survival of the Fittest

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

themselves feeds into the grim inevitability of their decline and death. A goliath would much rather die in battle, at the peak of strength and skill, than endure the slow decay of old age. Few folk

pity for adults who can’t take care of themselves, though a sick or injured individual is treated, as a result of the goliath concept of fair play. A permanently injured goliath is still expected to

Firbolg Legacy

Species Volo's Guide to Monsters

the group’s needs, but the effect each action will have on the forest and the rest of the natural world. Firbolg tribes would rather go hungry than strain the land during a famine. Hidden

Shepherds As caretakers of the land, firbolgs prefer to remain out of sight and out of mind. They don’t try to dominate nature, but rather seek to ensure that it prospers and survives according to its

Studies and Philosophy

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

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

of the mathematical patterns in nature. Growth and Decay The two deans of Witherbloom are traditionally called the Dean of the Root and the Dean of the Vein. These titles are a somewhat abstract way

Character Names

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

names, that’s fine. If the group would rather take the characters and their names a little more seriously, urge Bob’s player to come up with a more appropriate name. Player character names should match

each other in flavor or concept, and they should also match the flavor of your campaign world — so should the nonplayer characters’ names and place names you create. Travok and Kairon don’t want to undertake a quest for Lord Cupcake, visit Gumdrop Island, or take down a crazy wizard named Ray.

General Features

Compendium - Sources->Dungeons & Dragons->Rise of Tiamat

a special mummy lord whose magic pervades his tomb. Since Diderius is neutral rather than evil, the area lacks the evil magic common to other mummy-lord tombs. A few chambers of the tomb have the

appearance of opulent and well-kept rooms suitable for a noble archmage. This effect is an illusion, however, failing to cover the rank scent of dust and decay. Diderius’s magic also guides those who show proper respect. Map 11.1: Tomb of Diderius View Player Version

General Features

Compendium - Sources->Dungeons & Dragons->Tyranny of Dragons

, those who honored him in life transformed him into a special mummy lord whose magic pervades his tomb. Since Diderius is neutral rather than evil, the area lacks the evil magic common to other mummy

lord tombs. A few chambers of the tomb have the appearance of opulent and well-kept rooms suitable for a noble archmage. This effect is an illusion, however, failing to cover the rank scent of dust and decay.

Zombies

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

, reanimated corpses, often gruesomely marred by decay and lethal traumas. They serve whatever supernatural force animates them—typically evil necromancers or fiendish spirits. Zombies are relentless

, merciless, and resilient, and their dead flesh can carry on even after suffering grievous wounds. While they can follow simple orders, they rely on primal drives rather than thought. They fulfill

Origin of the Ordning

Compendium - Sources->Dungeons & Dragons->Bigby Presents: Glory of the Giants

the ordning in some mythic future. Giants on some worlds (including Eberron) have no concept of the ordning at all. Such giants might think of themselves as a single species, with the differences

among giant kinds reflecting a cultural or geographical distinction rather than an inherent one. They might live in bands composed of multiple giant kinds or family groups of a single kind. Or giants of

Character Advancement

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

taking part in a play session. A character reaches 1 checkpoint for each hour an adventure is designed to last. Note that the award is based on the adventure’s projected playing time, rather than the

designed to take 2 hours, the character reaches 3 checkpoints. Playing time might seem like an odd way to measure experience awards, but the concept is in keeping with how a shared campaign is meant to

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

Secret

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

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

cosmic force, such as life or death, or a philosophy or concept, such as love, peace, or one of the nine alignments. Chapter 1 of the Dungeon Master’s Guide explores options like these, in the section

Circles

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

with this new and unusual concept, swayed by Phylo’s claims that a higher level of communal harmony will be achieved. Basidia believes that Phylo’s separation of the circles is contrary to the unity and

, with many blissfully welcoming her madness, while others bravely try to resist it. Myconids affected by Zuggtmoy abandon the growth of life as the core of their being in favor of decay and death. More

Water Weird

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

. Good and Evil Weirds. Like most elementals, a water weird has no concept of good or evil. However, a water weird bound to a sacred or befouled source of water begins to take on the nature of that site

, becoming neutral good or neutral evil. A neutral good water weird tries to frighten away interlopers rather than kill them, while a neutral evil water weird kills its victims for pleasure and might

Darklords

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

adventures rather than saving them for distant climactic plots. Darklords Don’t Realize They’re Darklords. With a few exceptions, Darklords don’t realize they occupy a special place in the world. Their

concept of how long they’ve lived, how many times they’ve died, or why they returned to life. Should a Darklord fall, the temporary defeat lasts until they’re restored by the Dark Powers. In their

Yuan-ti Cities

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

yuan-ti content themselves with maintaining these ancient places rather than building new ones for their needs. Although these sites are hundreds or even thousands of years old, they don’t look or feel

reflects human ideas about art and beauty. Over time this perspective was skewed toward the concept that the snake is the perfect form, so serpents are a common theme in their aesthetic. The major

Introduction

Compendium - Sources->Dungeons & Dragons->Mordenkainen's Fiendish Folio Volume 1

you receive a cancer diagnosis or a similar health news, you probably appreciate that concept a little more than other people. Watching someone you love waste away is a terrible thing. You want a

magic button to bring things back to the way they should be, this person you love so much restored to who they really are rather than what cancer is grinding them down into. It’s easy to give in to

Appendix A: Shared Campaigns

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

hard to keep a campaign going. Enter the concept of the shared campaign. In a shared campaign, more than one member of the group can take on the role of DM. A shared campaign is episodic rather than

Modifying a Class

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

, paladins might not swear their oaths to ideals, but instead swear fealty to powerful sorcerers. To capture this story concept, you could build a new paladin spell list with spells meant to protect

opportunity to develop the character’s story and that of your world, rather than shutting down possibilities. Substituting Class Features If one or more features of a given class don’t exactly fit the theme

Staff

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

concept behind the hirelings and selecting one proficiency for each. The DM can then customize the hirelings as desired, perhaps by adding additional proficiencies or adjusting their combat statistics

(sailors for a seagoing franchise, engineers for a giant hollow statue, and so on). Crew do not leave a franchise and cannot perform franchise tasks. They typically run rather than fight back when attacked

Rejecting the Ordning

Compendium - Sources->Dungeons & Dragons->Bigby Presents: Glory of the Giants

one their kind traditionally values. These are often giants whose ranking within their kind is low. For example, a contemplative cloud giant might pursue knowledge rather than wealth, or a weak frost

otherwise enjoy in the ordning. When giants join the cults of demon lords, they reject the entire concept of the ordning—the idea that there is any kind of order to the multiverse at all, which is the

Mind Flayer Magic

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

after death would its consciousness be cast into oblivion. Two divine entities have long been associated with mind flayers by the scholars of other races. These aren’t deities, but rather

attitude — actions that have often been misinterpreted by observers as worship. Maanzecorian. The entity/concept called Maanzecorian embodies a complete comprehension of knowledge. It is a state

5. Garden of Welcome

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

mouth. It can use this orifice to actually speak, rather than depending on rapport spores. It no longer attends melds with the other leaders, instead sending its representative. Garden of Horror As

… she’s here … the Lady of Decay … Zuggtmoy …” The drow is Xinaya, a young acolyte of Lolth. She was leading a routine scouting patrol out of Velkynvelve before Ilvara contacted her with a sending

Circle of Spores

Compendium - Sources->Dungeons & Dragons->Tasha’s Cauldron of Everything

touching my stuff, though. Tasha Druids of the Circle of Spores find beauty in decay. They see within mold and other fungi the ability to transform lifeless material into abundant, albeit somewhat

those spores, rather than transforming into a beast form, and you gain 4 temporary hit points for each level you have in this class. While this feature is active, you gain the following benefits

Mbala

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

(see “Pterafolk Nest” below), and then to become her meals for several months. She’s not likely to attack them openly. She’d rather get them off their guard and pick them off one by one, as she did with

, drink, sleep, or breathe. The character’s hit point maximum is reduced by 1d4 at dawn each day, representing the physical decay of the body. No spell or effect can halt or counteract this decay. If the

Navigating the Drought Elder

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

blends in well amid the floating meat and has advantage on its Dexterity (Stealth) checks. If Ozk notices any non-Aberration, it stops meditating on its own decay and attacks, shouting in Deep Speech that

of the Drought Elder’s alien consciousness. It uses the demilich stat block but is an Aberration rather than Undead. It ignores the characters unless they try to harm it or try to enter area D5—either

I: Camp Carrionclay

Compendium - Sources->Dungeons & Dragons->Dragonlance: Shadow of the Dragon Queen

Bridge and Lake A wooden bridge crosses the marshy lake, which reeks with decay. The bridge ends at the camp’s gate. When the Wash is low, the lake surrounding the camp becomes a marsh filled with

adventurers are beneath her, so rather than pursuing them, she uses her Acid Breath once, then calls for any Dragon Army troops remaining in the camp to pursue the characters. Akhviri doesn’t follow the characters beyond the camp.

Places of Interest

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

rest of the village. Headstones sit at odd angles, some toppled completely. Small cairns, rather than inscribed headstones, mark the graves toward the back. Characters who take time to read the

(Survival) or Intelligence (Investigation) check reveals the following information: DC 15 Wisdom (Survival): The growth around the wheels and the decay of the horse’s carcass suggests that the cart has lain

Ascendant Factions

Compendium - Sources->Dungeons & Dragons->Planescape: Adventures in the Multiverse->Sigil and the Outlands

gather in the Shattered Temple, a place once dedicated to Aoskar, a now-dead god of portals. Rather than serve in Sigil’s government, the Athar’s self-appointed spy network closely surveils the city’s

Celebrate Destruction and Decay Factol: Pentar Headquarters: Armory Aligned Plane: Elemental Chaos Members: Entropists, soldiers, weaponsmiths Epithet: Sinkers The Doomguard understands the purpose of

Alignment

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

plane of lawful evil. A devil does not choose to be lawful evil or tend toward lawful evil, but rather it is lawful evil in its essence. If it somehow ceases to be lawful evil, it changes into something

one person, concept, or event that you are terrified of? What are your vices? TIKA AND ARTEMIS: PERSONAL CHARACTERISTICS Tika and Artemis have distinct personality traits. Tika Waylan dislikes

Tour of the Planes

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

nature work to tear down anything built within the zone. Weather, vegetation, and a rapid rate of decay combine to quickly destroy structures built in the region and overgrow the ruins. 3 The zone is

decay. Mabar Manifest Zone Features d4 Feature 1 Undead animated here have 2 extra hit points per Hit Die and make saving throws against being turned or frightened with advantage. 2 Vegetation here

Uthgardt Lands

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

call themselves “children of Uthgar.” Though the Uthgardt each belong to a given tribe, these are markers of identity, rather than coherent populations. In my experience, it is rare outside of

size that near the ancient ancestral mound of the Red Tiger tribe. The settlement was founded some time ago by members of the Black Lion tribe, who put down roots here rather than continuing to live

Random Encounters in Yon

Compendium - Sources->Dungeons & Dragons->The Wild Beyond the Witchlight

the cyclops long enough for the party to escape. Alternatively, a character might use a speak with animals spell to find out what Pollenella wants. The bee would rather stay with Amidor than return to

in love. This statement causes the cyclops to blink in confusion and ask, “What is love?” If the concept is explained to him, Mudlump declares that he’d like to be in love, too, and gives the

Temple of Tharizdun

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

their roofs appear progressively more inhabitable as they rise up into the polluted sky. The overall effect is that of a canyon, with walls made from the cross-section of a decaying shantytown rather

carcass, which hangs from the rafters on frayed, mildewed ropes. Humanoid heads in various states of decay have been crudely lashed to the shark’s flanks. The stairs descend 20 feet into a completely

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