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Returning 35 results for 'before bad during complete reason'.
Aarakocra
Legacy
This doesn't reflect the latest rules and lore.
Learn More
Species
Elemental Evil Player's Companion
brightly colored, with feathers of red, orange, or yellow. Females have more subdued colors, usually brown or gray. Their heads complete the avian appearance, being something like a parrot or eagle with
changes in the prevailing winds that they regarded as a bad omen.
Unlike the aarakocra of other worlds on the Material Plane, the aarakocra of the Realms rarely travel to the Elemental Plane of Air
Firbolg
Legacy
This doesn't reflect the latest rules and lore.
Learn More
Species
Volo's Guide to Monsters
complete their quests and return home as quickly as possible.
The Firbolg Adventurers table can serve as inspiration for determining why a firbolg character leaves home.
Firbolg Adventurers
d8
Reason for Adventuring
1
Outcast for murder
2
Outcast for severely damaging home territory
3
Clan slain by invading humanoids
4
Clan slain by a dragon or demon
5
Backgrounds
Sword Coast Adventurer's Guide
;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
provided. The following section, discussing possible homelands, includes some suggested reasons that are appropriate for each location.
d6
Reason
d6
Reason
1
Emissary
4
Pilgrim
Backgrounds
Baldur’s Gate: Descent into Avernus
a frivolous lark. You’ve maintained a solitary vigil outside the cavern entrance ever since.
2
You crossed the Guild in a bad way. Fortunately, its members think you’re dead. Less
past that could rewrite history. It might be information that would be damaging to the people who consigned you to exile, and hence the reason for your return to society.
Work with your DM to
Compendium
- Sources->Dungeons & Dragons->Waterdeep: Dragon Heist
, where Volo gives them a quest. It’s a straightforward rescue mission with a twist involving a case of mistaken identity. If the adventurers complete the quest, Volo rewards them with a valuable piece of
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
Compendium
- Sources->Dungeons & Dragons->Princes of the Apocalypse
is far from complete, however. Entire sections of the city still lie in rubble, plagued by brigands and monsters, and sinister factions scheme to take over the place. Neverwinter is part of the
as little as eight or nine days. Reason to Visit. If the characters need the services and commerce of a big city and Waterdeep doesn’t do for some reason, then Neverwinter is the next best choice.
Compendium
- Sources->Dungeons & Dragons->Spelljammer Academy
Background As basic training at Spelljammer Academy comes to its conclusion, the characters are required to complete their first mission aboard a spelljamming ship. As luck would have it, orders have
reason, a staff member is coming along to supervise and make sure nothing prevents the character-recruits from completing their mission. That staff member is Petty Officer Winston Ryeback. The spy is
Compendium
- Sources->Dungeons & Dragons->Dungeon Master’s Guide (2014)
ten times the normal amount of time needed to complete a task automatically succeeds at that task. However, no amount of repeating the check allows a character to turn an impossible task into a
Constitution Stamina and health Endure a marathon, grasp hot metal without flinching, win a drinking contest Intelligence Memory and reason Recall a bit of lore, recognize a clue’s significance
Compendium
- Sources->Dungeons & Dragons->Volo's Guide to Monsters
firbolgs are entrusted by their clan with an important mission that takes them beyond their homes. These firbolgs feel like pilgrims in a strange land, and usually they wish only to complete their quests
and return home as quickly as possible. The Firbolg Adventurers table can serve as inspiration for determining why a firbolg character leaves home. Firbolg Adventurers d8 Reason for Adventuring 1
Compendium
- Sources->Dungeons & Dragons->Xanathar's Guide to Everything
deal with than the average member of the city watch. If your character’s backstory doesn’t already include a personage of this sort, you could work with your DM to come up with a reason why an
1 The pirate captain on whose ship you once served; what you call moving on, the captain calls mutiny 2 A master spy to whom you unwittingly fed bad information, which led to the assassination of
Compendium
- Sources->Dungeons & Dragons->Strixhaven: A Curriculum of Chaos
, and drinks of nearly everyone on campus last year. Anyone who came in contact with these are now threatened by the ritual Murgaxor is conducting.”
“Once complete, this ritual will drain the life
for no other reason than the characters carry the evil mage’s corruption, and they’re likely to be gravely injured or die once he completes his ritual.
Compendium
- Sources->Dungeons & Dragons->Candlekeep Mysteries
adventures rests within the walls of Candlekeep is reason enough for an adventurer to seek out this legendary book and claim a cozy corner to read about the escapades of Alkazaar and his dungeon-delving
Alkazaar’s Appendix to the characters’ attention and approach the characters (especially if the party has visited Candlekeep before) in hopes that they can complete Alkazaar’s unfinished quest and
Compendium
- Sources->Dungeons & Dragons->Dragon of Icespire Peak
Quest Goals To complete the Axeholm Quest, adventurers must kill or drive out all the monsters in the fortress. AXEHOLM FEATURES
In the dwarves’ absence, Axeholm has become a dark, sullen tomb
, full of dust and bad memories. It’s quiet most of the time, except when the sorrowful wails of the banshee fill the place. The following features are common throughout.
Arrow Slits. When using an arrow
Compendium
- Sources->Dungeons & Dragons->Princes of the Apocalypse
. “Not a bad place to die,” the mage says with mild amusement. The doppelganger posing as Gargosh doesn’t take part in the fight, remaining on the fringes of the battle and rooting for the characters to
to make haste and catch up with him!”
Characters who have reason to suspect Gargosh might be lying or holding back information can make a DC 16 Wisdom (Insight) check. A character who succeeds on
Compendium
- Sources->Dungeons & Dragons->Volo's Guide to Monsters
itself to give its fellows time to collapse a nearby tunnel and prevent invaders from getting to the rest of the tribe. All kobolds know that fleeing from danger, especially against bad odds, is the smart
sacrifice when it presents itself. This practice contributes to the reason why most common folk (and adventurers) think kobolds are stupid as well as weak; they’ve seen or heard of a lone kobold trying to
Compendium
- Sources->Dungeons & Dragons->Waterdeep: Dragon Heist
some respects this area has never truly deserved its bad reputation. Yes, aside from the Field Ward, this is the area where most of Waterdeep’s poor reside. Yes, it is home to some of the least
often have no sign at all. You either know where you are going and have reason to be there — or you are lost, and a likely mark for pickpockets or worse. Streetlamps don’t fare well in the Dock Ward
Compendium
- Sources->Dungeons & Dragons->Eberron: Rising from the Last War
fight in the war, how and why did they remain on the sidelines? Did they oppose the war? Did they do something to avoid conscription, or was there a reason they were considered unsuitable for service
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
Compendium
- Sources->Dungeons & Dragons->The Wild Beyond the Witchlight
home in their carnival. Diana greets patrons with good humor, but there’s a sadness behind her eyes. She’s quick to correct anyone who calls her a centaur, saying that she’s “a human who made a bad
Fortune and Bold, from the proverb “Fortune favors the bold.” Fortune’s name tag is complete, but Bold’s name tag reads B _ _ _. Second Pair. These unicorns’ names are Pride and Fall, from the proverb
Compendium
- Sources->Dungeons & Dragons->Acquisitions Incorporated
Gambler All you need to make a lot of gold is a little gold. Except at those times when all you need to have no gold at all is a little gold. Whether you’re a good gambler or a bad one rarely matters
be repaid.
2 I’m loyal to the friend or family member who taught me how to gamble.
3 The person who saved me from my gambling addiction is the only reason I’m alive today.
4 A patron
Compendium
- Sources->Dungeons & Dragons->Van Richten’s Guide to Ravenloft
not be sufficient motivation to take that risk. The Grand Masquerade is a fantastic adventure backdrop, but not a complete adventure. Adventurers need a good reason to attend; you can give them one by
the characters have a reason to be at the Grand Masquerade, they face a series of dangerous trials as they navigate the social intricacies of the ball. Common challenges include securing an invitation
Compendium
- Sources->Dungeons & Dragons->Spelljammer: Adventures in Space->Astral Adventurer’s Guide
(28 standard days).
The typical method for determining the length of a year—the amount of time that passes during a complete cycle of the seasons—has no meaning or usefulness for individuals who spend
most of their time on the Astral Plane. For this reason, astral travelers avoid using years as a measurement of time.
Travel by Thought Alone A creature doesn’t need a vessel to travel through the
Compendium
- Sources->Dungeons & Dragons->Monster Manual (2014)
Helmed Horror This construct possesses intelligence, the ability to reason and adjust its tactics, and an unswerving devotion to its maker that persists even after its maker’s demise. Resembling an
armor, the helmed horror requires less direction and maintenance as it carries out its appointed tasks. A helmed horror follows its orders with complete loyalty, and is intelligent enough to
Compendium
- Sources->Dungeons & Dragons->Storm King's Thunder
Lost Mine of Phandelver Lost Mine of Phandelver is an adventure in the Dungeons & Dragons Starter Set, designed to take characters from 1st to 5th level. Characters who complete it are at the right
grasslands and foothills. You can simply declare that the party makes the uneventful journey, or you can offer some reason why they would want to visit Triboar. The town is a good place for them to resupply
Compendium
- Sources->Dungeons & Dragons->Ghosts of Saltmarsh
realize what the party is up to, they immediately suspect the characters are out to make them look bad. In that case, they become surly and tight-lipped. All the militia guards have been assured by
superiors and fellow guards, and she doesn’t need any more trouble in that area. If she’s reassured that the characters aren’t trying to make the militia look bad, Jute gives a frank account of her
Compendium
- Sources->Dungeons & Dragons->Waterdeep: Dragon Heist
(encounter 4, “Mausoleum”). Weather Effects Until the encounter chain is complete, the following weather effects are in play. Blizzard. Shrieking wind and falling snow impose disadvantage on Wisdom
during the battle. If you find an encounter too deadly, reduce the antagonists’ hit points, have NPCs arrive to help the characters, or have the bad guys cut their losses and flee.
Compendium
- Sources->Dungeons & Dragons->Xanathar's Guide to Everything
sown with too many traps, and if the characters are victimized over and over again as a result, they are likely to take steps to prevent further bad things from happening. Because of their recent
characters discover a trap, be open to adjudicating their ideas for defeating it. The trap’s description is a starting point for countermeasures, rather than a complete definition. To make it easier
Compendium
- Sources->Dungeons & Dragons->Xanathar's Guide to Everything
character astray, especially if the object of the research is known to the rival. The rival might plant false information, bribe sages to give bad advice, or steal key tomes needed to find the truth. In
would have opened it. 4 A sage becomes obsessed with convincing you of a number of strange theories about reality.* 5 Your actions cause you to be banned from a library until you make reparations.* 6 You uncovered useful lore, but only by promising to complete a dangerous task in return. *Might involve a rival
Compendium
- Sources->Dungeons & Dragons->Sword Coast Adventurer’s Guide
a native, your reason for leaving “home” probably has something to do with getting away from a bad situation.
reason. You must fear something truly terrible or seek something incredibly important. Zakhara. As the saying goes among those in Faerûn who know of the place, “To get to Zakhara, go south. Then go
Compendium
- Sources->Dungeons & Dragons->Quests from the Infinite Staircase
, transforming it into a personal utopia. A traveler who hails from a snowy tundra might melt at the sight of a rustic mountain lodge, complete with a crackling hearth, a bearskin rug, and the savory scent of
that might be heard within the hall or the staircases beyond, inspiring characters to adventure or giving them a reason to seek out Nafas. Well of Destiny Wishes d6 Wish 1 “I wish I could find my
Compendium
- Sources->Dungeons & Dragons->Mythic Odysseys of Theros
the individual’s fall from grace is complete. Phenax’s Goals Phenax doesn’t want to rule Nyx. He is the perennial outsider, existing only to disrupt the plans of his fellow gods. Every lie, every
metaphorical progenitor of the Returned, Phenax also takes time to provide shelter and opportunities for his children to disrupt the mortal world. Divine Relationships It stands to reason that the god of
Compendium
- Sources->Dungeons & Dragons->Monster Manual (2014)
Flesh Golem A flesh golem is a grisly assortment of humanoid body parts stitched and bolted together into a muscled brute imbued with formidable strength. Its brain is capable of simple reason
, necromancer
A flesh golem lurches with a stiff-jointed gait, as if not in complete control of its body. Its dead flesh isn’t an ideal container for an elemental spirit, which sometimes howls
Compendium
- Sources->Dungeons & Dragons->The Book of Many Things
Void card from a Deck of Many Things, Hilarion led the effort to retrieve and restore the cleric’s soul. The quest proved so harrowing that Hilarion’s faith eroded, and when the quest was complete
, the angel chose to establish the Solar Bastion rather than return to his god’s service. A powerful and immortal Celestial, Hilarion sees no reason for additional tiers of leadership in the organization
Compendium
- Sources->Dungeons & Dragons->Xanathar's Guide to Everything
has made two allied contacts. 21+ Character has made three allied contacts. Contacts are NPCs who now share a bond with the character. Each one either owes the character a favor or has some reason to
rumors, and building a bad reputation around town. As a rule of thumb, a character has a 10 percent chance of triggering a complication for each workweek of carousing. Lower-Class Carousing Complications
Compendium
- Sources->Dungeons & Dragons->Acquisitions Incorporated
dawn seven days later. I don’t really understand occultants, and to be honest, they scare the Abyss out of me.
— Jim Darkmagic
Why Be an Occultant? d8 Reason
1 You believe in karmic
balance, but hate the idea that “balance” means good and bad things can both happen to you. Good things happening to you and bad things happening to other people seems perfectly reasonable.
2 You
Compendium
- Sources->Dungeons & Dragons->Waterdeep: Dragon Heist
lavishly decorated, with many halls used by government officials, guildmasters, and nobles for meetings and court proceedings. If you have reason to be invited (not compelled, I should hope!) to meet with
parted ways. Mirt kept on with a life of adventure, while Durnan built the tavern called the Yawning Portal over the Well and now, almost two centuries later, charges coin to descend into it. Not a bad






