before bad directly calling race

Sailor Legacy

Backgrounds Player’s Handbook (2014)

relations with (perhaps one captained by a former crewmate). Because you’re calling in a favor, you can’t be certain of a schedule or route that will meet your every need. Your Dungeon

more than one deserving soul to a briny grave. Fear and bloodshed are no strangers to you, and you’ve garnered a somewhat unsavory reputation in many a port town. Variant Feature: Bad

Inheritor

Backgrounds Sword Coast Adventurer's Guide

You are the heir to something of great value — not mere coin or wealth, but an object that has been entrusted to you and you alone. Your inheritance might have come directly to you from a

inheritor. Your bond might be directly related to your inheritance, or to the person from whom you received it. Your ideal might be influenced by what you know about your inheritance, or by what you

Dragonborn Legacy

Species Basic Rules (2014)

proudly through a world that greets them with fearful incomprehension. Shaped by draconic gods or the dragons themselves, dragonborn originally hatched from dragon eggs as a unique race, combining the

calling in life. Proud Dragon Kin Dragonborn look very much like dragons standing erect in humanoid form, though they lack wings or a tail. The first dragonborn had scales of vibrant hues matching the

Sailor - Baldur's Gate

Backgrounds Baldur’s Gate: Descent into Avernus

you served on, or another ship you have good relations with (perhaps one captained by a former crewmate). Because you’re calling in a favor, you can’t be certain of a schedule or route

. Fear and bloodshed are no strangers to you, and you’ve garnered a somewhat unsavory reputation in many a port town. Variant Feature: Bad Reputation If your character has a sailor

Kalashtar Legacy

Species Eberron: Rising from the Last War

-Lashtavar. —Lakashtai, servant of the light The kalashtar are a compound race created from the union of humanity and renegade spirits from the plane of dreams — spirits called quori

in a variety of ways. Kalashtar have symmetrical, slightly angular features, and their eyes often glow when they are focused or expressing strong emotions. Kalashtar can’t directly communicate

Orc Legacy

Species Volo's Guide to Monsters

area is at risk. If orcs come upon a target that is too large to assault directly, they will lurk along supply routes, taking out their frustration on caravans and travelers. Left unchecked, a tribe can

everywhere in the world around them, and the priests of a tribe are entrusted with the responsibility of identifying these signs and omens — both good and bad — and deciding how the tribe should

Archaeologist

Backgrounds Tomb of Annihilation

original purpose and determine its builders, whether those were dwarves, elves, humans, yuan-ti, or some other known race. In addition, you can determine the monetary value of art objects more than a

the treasures and relics of wizards, warlords, or royalty. Some archaeologists plunder for wealth or fame, while others consider it their calling to illuminate the past or keep the world’s

Dwarf Legacy

Species Basic Rules (2014)

command or inspiration of a deity, a direct calling or simply a desire to bring glory to one of the dwarf gods. Clan and ancestry are also important motivators. A dwarf might seek to restore a clan

a dwarf saying that might be hyperbole, but certainly points to how difficult it can be for a member of a short-lived race like humans to earn a dwarf’s trust. Elves. “It’s not wise

Roleplaying Lorinda

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

Roleplaying Lorinda Lorinda loves the trappings of motherhood and is off-puttingly maternal toward all those she encounters. She’s quick to dote on others, calling them unsettling pet names like

to prevent the villagers from learning her true nature. Personality Trait. “I’m the greatest parent in the world. I just need children worthy of my love.” Ideal. “Good children get rewards. Bad

Far Traveler

Backgrounds Sword Coast Adventurer's Guide

subterranean cities or settlements, you are probably a member of the race that occupies the place—but you might also have grown up there after being captured and brought below when you were a child

;t a native, your reason for leaving “home” probably has something to do with getting away from a bad situation. Feature: All Eyes on You Your accent, mannerisms, figures of

Couatls

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

Couatls Couatls are a celestial race born from Siberys at the dawn of time. Along with the dragons, they battled the fiendish overlords of Khorvaire and Sarlona. Ultimately, the couatls sacrificed

on Eberron are devoted servants of the light. They are most often found guarding the prison of the ancient fiendish overlords, and individuals sometimes act directly to aid adventurers who fight the forces of darkness.

Dinosaur Racing

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

, you’ll need to play out the race. This can be quite a bit of fun, especially if you let players whose characters aren’t directly involved take over at least some of the NPC racers. Encourage everyone to

harbor and the city’s four hills. Spectators are seldom injured, but it’s a dangerous sport for the dinosaurs and their riders. A typical race day has three races: one for four-legged beasts, one for

Pirate Bosun

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

tough opponents. Foul Frithoff in The Sinister Secret of Saltmarsh is the bosun who protects the cargo aboard the smugglers’ ship. Ever since a bad accident, he has worn a hook at the end of one arm in

place of a hand. Pirate Bosun Medium humanoid (any race), any alignment Armor Class 12 (studded leather) Hit Points 27 (5d8 + 5) Speed 30 ft. STR 16 (+3) DEX 11 (+0) CON

Testing Phase

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

fireballs and magical flames at its foes. Death slaadi are rumored to have a stench so bad it can be deadly. In reality, they can cast the cloudkill spell. Inexperienced scholars and adventurers

sometimes assume that “slaad” is a misspelling or mispronunciation. Calling these creatures “salads” is frowned upon. Frogs are common on campus and are often kept as pets

Bad News

Compendium - Sources->Dungeons & Dragons->Storm Lord’s Wrath

Bad News As the party’s ship sails north toward the Thunder Cliffs, a southward-sailing vessel approaches them. The ships drop anchor and the captain of the other vessel, called the Uneasy Alliance

to the adventurers. While the Uneasy Alliance was passing near the Thunder Cliffs, they spotted a great deal of wreckage, which likely came from the waters directly before the caves there. They did see

Dragonborn

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

with fearful incomprehension. Shaped by draconic gods or the dragons themselves, dragonborn originally hatched from dragon eggs as a unique race, combining the best attributes of dragons and humanoids

. Some dragonborn are faithful servants to true dragons, others form the ranks of soldiers in great wars, and still others find themselves adrift, with no clear calling in life.

Dragonborn

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

with fearful incomprehension. Shaped by draconic gods or the dragons themselves, dragonborn originally hatched from dragon eggs as a unique race, combining the best attributes of dragons and humanoids

. Some dragonborn are faithful servants to true dragons, others form the ranks of soldiers in great wars, and still others find themselves adrift, with no clear calling in life.

Orc Culture and Beliefs

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

around them, and the priests of a tribe are entrusted with the responsibility of identifying these signs and omens — both good and bad — and deciding how the tribe should react to them. As a race, orcs

stones, mushrooms, or any other kind of circle. Seeing a shooting star before a battle is bad luck. To ward it off, you must swallow a stone. A tribute of elf ears brings favor from Gruumsh. If you bury

Rakdos Lampooner

Compendium - Sources->Dungeons & Dragons->Guildmasters' Guide to Ravnica

, or effigies to caricature public figures, or sometimes play pranks on those individuals directly in the streets. Rakdos Lampooner Medium humanoid (any race), chaotic evil Armor Class 12 (leather

Kobold Legacy

Species Volo's Guide to Monsters

retaliation usually prevents them from trying to directly harm the gnomes, but they might spit in the milk, balance dishes on tables so they’re easily knocked over and broken, or scatter sewing

were in their presence. Kobolds fall all over themselves to obey orders from a dragon, even if they are dangerous orders. Although kobolds usually don’t worship Tiamat directly, they recognize her

Gods, Gold, and Clan

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

others. Other dwarves are driven by the command or inspiration of a deity, a direct calling or simply a desire to bring glory to one of the dwarf gods. Clan and ancestry are also important motivators. A

hundred years,” is a dwarf saying that might be hyperbole, but certainly points to how difficult it can be for a member of a short-lived race like humans to earn a dwarf’s trust. Elves. “It’s not wise

Gith Traits

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

for these spells. When you cast them with this trait, they don’t require components. Random Height and Weight Race Base Height Base Weight Height Modifier Weight Modifier Githyanki 5'0" 100 lb

githzerai and the creation of a new unified nation of all gith. Members of the Sha’sal Khou work secretly within their respective societies, subtly discouraging attacks on the other gith race while looking

Sports and Games

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

Sports and Games The Sharn Inquisitive The Race of Eight Winds Begins! Banners are flying across Dura today, and the streets are full of color. Walk through Oldkeep wearing brown and red, and

think our city’s gone mad. And in some ways it has, but it’s a madness that reaches its peak every summer with the Race of Eight Winds. Long ago, King Galifar used Dura as a proving ground for aerial

Gods, Gold, and Clan

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

others. Other dwarves are driven by the command or inspiration of a deity, a direct calling or simply a desire to bring glory to one of the dwarf gods. Clan and ancestry are also important motivators. A

hundred years,” is a dwarf saying that might be hyperbole, but certainly points to how difficult it can be for a member of a short-lived race like humans to earn a dwarf’s trust. Elves. “It’s not

Ability Checks

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

. Contests A contest is a kind of ability check that matches two creatures against each other. Use a contest if a character attempts something that either directly foils or is directly opposed by another

something, think of it in terms of what a very high or low score in those two abilities might mean. A character with a high Wisdom but low Intelligence is aware of the surroundings but is bad at

Rival Explorers

Compendium - Sources->Dungeons & Dragons->Eberron: Forge of the Artificer

Morgrave’s bad reputation. They seek fame, wealth, and power by plundering the secrets of ancient civilizations and claiming the magic and money they find for themselves. On the other hand, if the

research grant or an academic award. Or they might be conspicuously spending ill-gotten wealth, boasting of their accomplishments, or directly taunting the characters. (A rival group at these levels might

Personal Impact

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

of Cyre, or do they have other ideas for the nation’s future? For example, when an Aundairan player character meets a group of Eldeen druids, it’s an opportunity to exploit the bad blood between

comrade and work out the details with the player on the spot. The Personal Impact table provides ideas for plot hooks that could directly involve a player character in a scenario. Personal Impact d6

Broken Silence

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

characters who hear that calling and respond to it. Running This Prelude Characters in this prelude can come from any background. Perhaps they’re discovering the gods for the first time, or they might be

divine calling to learn about their deity’s goals and become one of their chosen. You may alter any of this prelude’s elements to better match individual gods’ virtues and identities. Before you begin

Sailor

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

crewmate). Because you’re calling in a favor, you can’t be certain of a schedule or route that will meet your every need. Your Dungeon Master will determine how long it takes to get where you need to

the Bad Reputation feature (see sidebar) instead of the Ship’s Passage feature. Variant Feature: Bad Reputation If your character has a sailor background, you may select this background feature

The Outlands and Sigil

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

Planes as a wheel point to the Outlands as proof, calling it a microcosm of the planes. That argument might be circular, since the arrangement of the Outlands inspired the idea of the Great Wheel in

city directly overhead. Called the City of Doors, this bustling planar metropolis holds countless portals to other planes and worlds. Sigil is a trader’s paradise. Goods, merchandise, and information

Adventure Structure

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

with some secondary villains, culminating in a bloody confrontation at a noble estate. In chapter 4, the characters race to find the gold. The encounters in this chapter and the order in which they

goal is to prevent the gold from falling into the hands of the bad guys. If all goes well, some of the gold will find its way into the characters’ pockets. Characters will have a hard time claiming it

Bad Time to Be a Zhent

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

Bad Time to Be a Zhent Within days after the events that local broadsheets dub the “Gralhund Villa Bloodbath,” the City Watch cracks down on the Black Network. Even members of the Zhentarim who have

This encounter occurs only if the characters were directly involved in the events that transpired at Gralhund Villa. After Davil Starsong is taken in for questioning, Istrid Horn (see appendix B) sends a

Factions in Athas

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

important common values and work toward the same end: the destruction of slavery. They fulfill something like the role of the Order of the Gauntlet in Athas. The Free are not directly concerned with

destruction is bad for business, even by House Tsalaxa’s standards. If the house’s agents can seize the cult’s secrets in the process of eliminating the threat, so much the better.

Haunted Keeps

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

) and places where characters confront the Elemental Evil cults directly. Feathergale Spire Home to the flamboyant Feathergale Society, this tall stone tower stands on a height commanding splendid views

across the Sumber Hills. It can be seen from afar by anyone traversing the hills and is used as a private retreat by an elite hippogriff flying club comprised of rich Waterdhavians calling themselves

The Demonweb Connection

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

could handle. Calling forth a demon and failing to rein it in is a capital crime in most drow communities — an uncontrolled demon often spells disaster not only for the drow who pulled it from the Abyss

that became trapped in Lolth’s web? Or do they spring directly from the queen herself? Regardless of their origin, yochlols respond to the will of Lolth alone. No other demon or demon lord can command

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