before back distant crawling revealing

Tromokratis

Monsters Mythic Odysseys of Theros

fall unconscious. Instead, the damage creates cracks in its carapace, revealing its hearts. Tromokratis has four hearts: two on its chest, one on its back, and one at the base of its tail. A heart has an

: The titanic monster’s carapace cracks, revealing a pulsing, red-purple heart buried amid heaps of blubber and muscle. Fissures run across the beast’s ancient shell, revealing three

Vladimir Horngaard

Monsters Curse of Strahd

Order of the Silver Dragon at a young age and quickly earned the friendship of its founder, the silver dragon Argynvost. When he became a knight of the order, he traveled to distant lands to wage war

tracked them to their sanctuary and overwhelmed them with a vast force. Vladimir, whom Argynvost had made a field commander, couldn't hold back the evil tide and was killed, only after the heartbreak of

Owlin

Species Strixhaven: A Curriculum of Chaos

Distant kin of giant owls from the Feywild, owlin come in many shapes and sizes, from petite and fluffy to wide-winged and majestic. Owlin have arms and legs like other Humanoids, as well as wings

that extend from their back and shoulders. Like owls, owlin are graced with feathers that make no sound when they move or fly, making it easy for them to sneak up on you in the library. Your owlin

Human Legacy

Species Basic Rules (2014)

pages were tales of bold heroes, strange and fierce animals, mighty primitive gods, and a magic that was part and fabric of that distant land. — Elaine Cunningham, Daughter of the Drow In the

dash of nonhuman blood, revealing hints of elf, orc, or other lineages. Humans reach adulthood in their late teens and rarely live even a single century. Variety in All Things Humans are the most

Sorcerer Legacy

Classes Basic Rules (2014)

Golden eyes flashing, a human stretches out her hand and unleashes the dragonfire that burns in her veins. As an inferno rages around her foes, leathery wings spread from her back and she takes to

the air. Long hair whipped by a conjured wind, a half-elf spreads his arms wide and throws his head back. Lifting him momentarily off the ground, a wave of magic surges up in him, through him, and out

Lesser Star Spawn Emissary

Monsters Van Richten’s Guide to Ravenloft

damage. Change Shape. The emissary polymorphs into a Small or Medium creature of its choice or back into its true form. Its statistics, other than its size, are the same in each form. Any equipment it is

distant, greater manifestations of themselves. Employing their malleable forms, emissaries work to undermine perceptions of order, trust, and reality on global scales, readying worlds for sanity

Daoud's Wondrous Lanthorn

Magic Items Quests from the Infinite Staircase

lantern’s flame goes out, the creature attuned to it immediately dies. One exception to this rule exists (see the “Destroying the Lantern” section). Revealing Light. The lantern sheds

use a bonus action to dim the lantern, reducing the light to dim light in a 5-foot radius, or brighten the lantern back to its normal bright light radius. Lenses. When found, the lantern’s

Gnome Legacy

Species Basic Rules (2014)

stare, then appeared to go back to sleep. — Richard Lee Byers, The Black Bouquet A constant hum of busy activity pervades the warrens and neighborhoods where gnomes form their close-knit

over time. Gnome names are typically variants on the names of ancestors or distant relatives, though some are purely new inventions. When dealing with humans and others who are “stuffy” about

Tabaxi Legacy

Species Volo's Guide to Monsters

We had a tabaxi come through once, a few winters back. She kept the taproom packed each night with her stories and spent most days napping in a chair in front of the fireplace. We thought she was

lazy, but when Linene came around looking for a missing broach, she was out the door before I could blink an eye. — Toblen Stonehill, innkeeper Hailing from a strange and distant land

Amethyst Dragon Wyrmling

Monsters Fizban's Treasury of Dragons

collecting knowledge and magic dealing with the nature of the planes of existence, cosmic forces, and distant worlds. They prize treasures drawn from different worlds of the Material Plane, especially

swapping back. 5 A cult devoted to a Great Old One of the Far Realm seeks an alien monolith that can summon its master, but the site is guarded by an amethyst dragon. 6 An amethyst dragon

Cleric Legacy

Classes Basic Rules (2014)

her holy symbol as light pours from it to drive back the zombies crowding in on her companions. Clerics are intermediaries between the mortal world and the distant planes of the gods. As varied as the

Verdan

Species Acquisitions Incorporated

. Reality is a descent into chaos punctuated by brief flashes of order, whence we arose and so imagine it to be the norm rather than a distant outlier. That-Which-Endures held entropy back for a mere instant

spontaneous alterations over their lifetime, from the typical range of point and peak seen among the elves, to huge ears that sweep back from the head like wings, and which are often pierced behind

Gruul Anarch

Backgrounds Guildmasters’ Guide to Ravnica

Personality Trait 1 Unlike people, the beasts of the wild are friends who won’t stab me in the back. 2 Go ahead and insult me — I dare you. 3 I scorn those who can

siblings or ancestors.] Flaws d6 Flaw 1 If you question my courage, I will never back down. 2 HrrrGGGAAAARRuuuh! [My anger in battle led to the death of a loved one

Ranger Legacy

Classes Basic Rules (2014)

of steel, cutting down one enemy after another. After tumbling away from a cone of freezing air, an elf finds her feet and draws back her bow to loose an arrow at the white dragon. Shrugging off the

whistles to the hawk that circles high above him, calling the bird back to his side. Whispering instructions in Elvish, he points to the owlbear he’s been tracking and sends the hawk to distract

Start Small

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

might decide that the barony is at war with a nearby duchy, or that a distant forest is crawling with ettercaps and giant spiders, and you should note these things. But at the start of the game, the local area is enough to get the campaign off the ground. Follow these steps to create that local area:

Ancient Amethyst Dragon

Monsters Fizban's Treasury of Dragons

magic dealing with the nature of the planes of existence, cosmic forces, and distant worlds. They prize treasures drawn from different worlds of the Material Plane, especially magic items and artworks

restriction. 4 An amethyst dragon recruits a group of adventurers to psychically trade bodies with adventurers from another world, so that each can carry out certain tasks before swapping back. 5

Young Amethyst Dragon

Monsters Fizban's Treasury of Dragons

existence, cosmic forces, and distant worlds. They prize treasures drawn from different worlds of the Material Plane, especially magic items and artworks that highlight the unique nature of different worlds

adventurers to psychically trade bodies with adventurers from another world, so that each can carry out certain tasks before swapping back. 5 A cult devoted to a Great Old One of the Far Realm

Keresta Delvingstone

Monsters Waterdeep: Dungeon of the Mad Mage

Shapechanger. If Keresta isn't in sunlight or running water, she can use her action to polymorph into a Tiny bat or a Medium cloud of mist, or back into her true form. While in bat form, Keresta

bats are plentiful. In areas where they are not specifically mentioned, droppings and guano betray their presence, and they can be heard constantly scuttling and shrieking in the distant darkness. If

Yetis

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

, they resemble giant apes with pale fur and ram-like horns. Yetis easily blend in with snow and icy cliffs, revealing themselves with blood-chilling howls just before striking with their icy claws

yetis are more common than sightings. Whether a distant scream is the howl of an enraged yeti or just the wind, few can be certain. Nevertheless, many mountainous settlements burn bonfires to ward off yetis, taking advantage of these brutes’ aversion to fire. Richard Luong

Arrival

Compendium - Sources->Dungeons & Dragons->Dragon of Icespire Peak

-wide passageway flanked by forty-foot-high bulwarks of smooth, seamless stone. An iron portcullis covered with rust blocks the entrance. Arrow slits carved into the bulwarks are dark, revealing no hint

. Crawling down a chimney to area A21 or area A23 requires another successful DC 10 Strength (Athletics) check. If this check fails, the character falls 20 feet to the bottom of the chimney, landing in the

Gothic Horror

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

or prey? Gothic horror shatters the lies we trick ourselves into believing and shows that we, not some distant entity, are and ever shall be the architects of our doom. The quest for perfection leads

before revealing them fully. Sacrifices feature prominently in gothic stories. Give characters heart-wrenching choices to make.

Kianna's Farmhouse Locations

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

and rakes lie scattered about. Farming Implements. A character who looks around the back of the house sees a pitchfork stuck into the earth near the house’s northeast corner. On further investigation

, they see it’s stuck through the severed hand of a young woman. The characters have no way of knowing this, but the hand was once a crawling claw and was dispatched by a farmer. Sickly Crops. Wheat

Adult Amethyst Dragon

Monsters Fizban's Treasury of Dragons

in collecting knowledge and magic dealing with the nature of the planes of existence, cosmic forces, and distant worlds. They prize treasures drawn from different worlds of the Material Plane

before swapping back. 5 A cult devoted to a Great Old One of the Far Realm seeks an alien monolith that can summon its master, but the site is guarded by an amethyst dragon. 6 An amethyst

A28. Castellan's Bedchamber

Compendium - Sources->Dungeons & Dragons->Dragon of Icespire Peak

secret door. A character who searches the interior of the fireplace and succeeds on a DC 15 Wisdom (Perception) check notices dwarven hand prints in the soot on the back wall. Pushing on the secret door causes it to swing open on hidden stone hinges, revealing area A29 beyond.

in the rubble-choked chimney — a total of one per party member (including sidekicks). The stirges attack anyone who pokes around in the fireplace. Secret Door. The back wall of the fireplace is a

Tracking Floon

Compendium - Sources->Dungeons & Dragons->Waterdeep: Dragon Heist

) check or 5 gp in bribes allows the characters to trace the kidnappers’ path through back alleys to a circular metal cover inset in the pavement. The cover is easily lifted, revealing a ladder down into the sewers.

Random Encounters (T-Z)

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

tarnished silver platter with a lid (worth 25 gp). If a character comes within 5 feet of the servant, it lifts the lid, revealing a bunch of moldy scones. The first character to eat a scone gains

inspiration. On later occurrences of this encounter, the platter holds a crawling claw that attacks the nearest character. 2 A silver goblet (worth 50 gp) filled to the brim with wine. A character who drinks

Sinister Sinkhole

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

would be mindful of sinkholes or unstable ground after the previous tremor have advantage on this saving throw. Any creature at the bottom of the hole finds they’re not alone. Four crawling claws

sinkhole. Lady Dre decides to stay and figure out a way to get the wagon unstuck—she has rope in the back that might prove helpful. She insists the characters go on ahead. Proclaimer Ward stays to help Lady Dre if they’re both with the party.

Into Neverwinter's Catacombs

Compendium - Sources->Dungeons & Dragons->Vecna: Nest of the Eldritch Eye

. Read or paraphrase the following: The withered eyeball aims its empty gaze down an alley strewn with rubble. Rats scurry between chunks of old stone and dusty crates. At the back of the alley is a set of

moldering wood boards, propped up just enough to block a dark tunnel leading below the surface. The boards blocking the entrance to the catacombs can be moved easily, revealing a sloping tunnel (area N1).

Feonor

Compendium - Sources->Dungeons & Dragons->Baldur's Gate: Descent into Avernus

, she took to the Avernian wastes on one of the rakshasa’s infernal war machines and never looked back. Years later, Mahadi still refers to her as “the one the got away.” The scowl on Feonor’s face

, and its other stations are operated by ghouls. She also commands a force of ten crawling claws. A pair of Tormentors crewed by mezzoloths provide escort.

9. Shadow Vigil

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

outside the doors. Crawling around their feet are four swarms of rats. Purple Flames. Mounted on the back walls of four wide alcoves are rusty iron sconces, each holding a torch coated in black wax

The Farmers' Story

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

group a Heward’s handy haversack they had stashed with tools in a nearby shed. The first character to open it, however, finds that a crawling claw has gotten itself trapped within. It tries to escape as

soon as it is detected. If Proclaimer Ward is with the party, the Proclaimer stays with the farmers to help them either get back on their feet or join Uncle Polder’s community.

Kobold Legacy

Species Volo's Guide to Monsters

owner, they are often willing to take the chance of revealing themselves because the potential reward is worth the risk. Dragon Servitors Kobolds believe that they were created by Tiamat from the blood

some other convenient way (or, in a cannibalistic tribe, eaten). Kobolds believe that if they die in service to their tribe, Kurtulmak immediately sends each of them back to life as the next egg laid in

New Race: Verdan

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

. Reality is a descent into chaos punctuated by brief flashes of order, whence we arose and so imagine it to be the norm rather than a distant outlier. That-Which-Endures held entropy back for a mere instant, and the Verdan emerged. I’m sorry, was that the question? — K’thriss Drow’b

29. Abandoned Apartment

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

Constitution saving throw; on a failed save, the creature drops to 0 hit points and is dying. After revealing its ghastly visage, the skull-faced Halaster then turns back around so that only its hair is

framed portrait showing the back of Halaster’s head: a mass of gray hair (see “Painting Trap” below). The wraith is all that remains of an evil adventurer who was disintegrated by Halaster in this room

Tabaxi

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

Tabaxi We had a tabaxi come through once, a few winters back. She kept the taproom packed each night with her stories and spent most days napping in a chair in front of the fireplace. We thought she

was lazy, but when Linene came around looking for a missing broach, she was out the door before I could blink an eye. — Toblen Stonehill, innkeeper Hailing from a strange and distant land

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