before based driven contests resort

Crab Folk

Monsters Mordenkainen's Fiendish Folio Volume 1

spell gave the crab folk an insatiable love for silver. When they see it, all crab folk feel an irresistible urge to seize it and carry it back to their lairs. If necessary, they resort to violence to

bad luck a gull might happen to land near a crab folk lair and utter the right combination of cries to summon up this ancient compulsion. Driven to action, the crab folk rampage along the coast

Obzedat Ghost

Monsters Guildmasters’ Guide to Ravnica

Council of Five. The ghost has a trait based on who it is, as shown below: Enezesku: Enfeebling Ray. Enezesku’s Innate Spellcasting trait includes ray of enfeeblement, which he can cast at

Obzedat function as a unit, driven by their shared desire to accumulate ever more wealth for the guild. In times of disagreement, the eldest of the council exerts his seniority to bend the council to

Urchin - Baldur's Gate

Backgrounds Baldur’s Gate: Descent into Avernus

their torch-based code. From the lighting, placement, and type of torch arranged on or near a structure, you can gather a great deal of information about those who live or do business there, particularly

of desperate poverty, for good and for ill. They tend to be driven either by a commitment to the people with whom they shared life on the street or by a burning desire to find a better life &mdash

Tabaxi Legacy

Species Volo's Guide to Monsters

, wandering tabaxi are catlike humanoids driven by curiosity to collect interesting artifacts, gather tales and stories, and lay eyes on all the world’s wonders. Ultimate travelers, the inquisitive

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

Half-Elf Legacy

Species Basic Rules (2014)

, wandering the wilds as trappers, foresters, hunters, or adventurers and visiting civilization only rarely. Like elves, they are driven by the wanderlust that comes of their longevity. Others, in

-Elf Variants Some half-elves in Faerûn have a racial trait in place of the Skill Versatility trait. If your DM allows it, your half-elf character can forgo Skill Versatility and instead take the elf trait Keen Senses or a trait based on your elf parentage:

Yuan-ti Pureblood Legacy

Species Volo's Guide to Monsters

with that of snakes, producing a caste-based society of hybrids in which the most snakelike are the leaders and the most humanlike are spies and agents in foreign lands. Humans Transformed The

caste system based on how complete a person’s transformation was. The vast majority of yuan-ti fall into three categories — abominations, malisons, and purebloods — while the mutated

Lizardfolk Legacy

Species Volo's Guide to Monsters

have more in common with iguanas or dragons than they do with humans, dwarves, or elves. Lizardfolk possess an alien and inscrutable mindset, their desires and thoughts driven by a different set of

rage against their enemies. They simply observe and react as a situation warrants. Lizardfolk lack meaningful emotional ties to the past. They assess situations based on their current and future

Greyhawk

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

as the elemental prophets, the cults’ use of devastation orbs, and the search for the missing delegation make this a much more far-reaching and event-driven adventure than the original site-based campaign.

The Church of the Silver Flame

Compendium - Sources->Dungeons & Dragons->Wayfinder's Guide to Eberron

. Battle supernatural evil with steel, fire, and magic. Every mortal soul can be guided to the light. Inspire and guide others to virtuous behavior; force is a last resort. Listen to the Voice of the

principles. They seek to lead virtuous lives, to protect the weak, and to guide the wicked to the light. The Church is based in Thrane but its followers are spread across Eberron. It’s up to you whether

Setting the Tone

Compendium - Sources->Dungeons & Dragons->Wayfinder's Guide to Eberron

campaign isn’t driven by material wealth. Even when you go on expeditions, the University will lay claim to most of the treasures you find. Instead, the rewards of Morgrave adventures are measured in

use story-based advancement instead of standard XP. Level advancement could be based on time: player characters gain one level each semester, leveling up after finals. Alternately, advancement could

Difficulty Class

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

Difficulty Class You establish the Difficulty Class for an ability check or a saving throw when a rule or an adventure doesn’t give you one. Choose a DC from the Typical DCs table based on the task’s

checks that are contests between two creatures. For example, if one creature is holding a door shut, use its Strength modifier and Proficiency Bonus to set the DC for opening the door. When another

Special Calendar Days

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

particular celebrations varying based on local traditions and popular faiths. Midwinter. The first festival day of the year is known generally as Midwinter, though some people name it differently

peoples. Many tournaments and contests of skill are held on Shieldmeet, and most faiths mark the holiday by emphasizing one of their key tenets. The next Shieldmeet will be observed in 1492 DR

Death Dog

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

, favoring the wounded or infirm. They attack recklessly, infecting as many creatures as possible with their diseased jaws. If driven off, death dogs linger close to their victims, letting infection weaken

their prey before they attack again. Legends tie death dogs to malicious death gods, the underworld, and cursed rulers. These stories are based on the malady death dogs spread. Roll on or choose a result

Darguun

Compendium - Sources->Dungeons & Dragons->Wayfinder's Guide to Eberron

many human cities are built on goblin foundations. This empire collapsed into savagery, and when humanity arrived, goblins were driven from their ancestral lands or enslaved. Galifar ended the

hobgoblin clans known as the Ghaal’dar were based in the Seawall Mountains, but during the Last War the demand for mercenaries drew an ever-increasing number of goblins out of the mountains to fight

Intrigue

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

Intrigue Intrigue adventures are event-based adventures that revolve around power struggles. Intrigues are common in the courts of the nobility, but power struggles can play out just as easily in

the event-based goals discussed earlier in this section lend themselves to intrigue adventures. For example, if the adventurers must uncover a conspiracy, negotiate a peace treaty, or secure aid from

Orc Legacy

Species Volo's Guide to Monsters

; their loyalty by turning them into slaves. If a tribe is defeated and driven from its lair, the survivors might come under the sway of a strong but dimwitted creature, such as a hill giant or an ogre

. These tenets vary from tribe to tribe, and are often based in events that the tribe has experienced. Here are a few examples: If a dwarf or a human invokes its god upon dying, you must carry the

Merchant Princes

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

need of gear or supplies must deal through these individuals directly or their consortiums indirectly. The only alternative is to resort to the black markets in Malar’s Throat or Tiryki Anchorage

. Ekene-Afa Deals in weapons, shields, traveling gear, rain catchers, saddles, wagons, and canoes Ekene-Afa (LG female Chultan human gladiator) won numerous gladiatorial contests in Port Nyanzaru’s arena

Cults of the Dragon Below

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

of a greater whole. Cults of the Dragon Below are based on madness or power. A cult that seeks power chooses to serve a dark force because of the gifts they receive from it. A cabal of scholars might

, not from faith. Cults driven by madness have a warped view of reality. A cultist might believe aberrations are a higher form of life and that the daelkyr will elevate mortals. Other cultists may not

Vampire Spawn

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

water. Stake to the Heart. The vampire is destroyed if a piercing weapon made of wood is driven into its heart while it is incapacitated in its resting place. Sunlight Hypersensitivity. The vampire

damage resistances, darkvision, traits, and actions. Attack and damage rolls for the vampire’s attacks are based on Strength. The save DC for Charm is 8 + the vampire’s proficiency bonus + the vampire’s

The Fall of Ythryn

Compendium - Sources->Dungeons & Dragons->Icewind Dale: Rime of the Frostmaiden

magic or simply unable to control it. Without great magic to keep them aloft, the remaining flying cities of Netheril crashed to the ground, and many arcanists who survived were driven mad. Once magic

came back into use, Netherese arcanists could no longer cast their mightiest spells as they had before, forcing them to resort to traditional wizardry. Four hundred years after Karsus cast his spell

Church of the Silver Flame

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

the light. Inspire and guide others to virtuous behavior; force is a last resort. Listen to the Voice of the Flame; beware the deceiving whispers of the Shadow in the Flame. Every Thrane child knows

than compassion as the primary tool for rooting out evil. And in Thrane, the church has become the ruling body. While still driven by Tira’s principles of redemption and sacrifice, the intrusion of

Crab Folk

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

seize it and carry it back to their lairs. If necessary, they resort to violence to claim the metal. Brutal Raiders. Each year, when the warm summer gives way to the chill of autumn, the crab folk look

this ancient compulsion. Driven to action, the crab folk rampage along the coast, looting and smashing any settlements they know of or encounter. After six days exactly, their rampage ends, and they

Running the Adventure

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

presenting a D&D adventure that was as much story-driven as location-based, featuring a villain who was complex and terrifying. Castle Ravenloft, with its amazing three-dimensional maps, remains to

Other Nonplayer Characters

Compendium - Sources->Dungeons & Dragons->Hoard of the Dragon Queen

skunk by inclination, Urnpoleshurst is relocating from Baldur’s Gate to anywhere that isn’t Baldur’s Gate. Gossip around the caravan is that he was driven out by a scandal, and that’s hard not to believe

). Tobun has driven freight wagons across Faerûn for the past forty years, from Waterdeep to Calimport and from Baldur’s Gate to Hillsfar. He is a font of stories and legends, but it’s impossible to

Other Nonplayer Characters

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

by inclination, Urnpoleshurst is relocating from Baldur’s Gate to anywhere that isn’t Baldur’s Gate. Gossip around the caravan is that he was driven out by a scandal, and that’s hard not to believe

). Tobun has driven freight wagons across Faerûn for the past forty years, from Waterdeep to Calimport and from Baldur’s Gate to Hillsfar. He is a font of stories and legends, but it’s impossible to tell

The Rank and File

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

all. Rules for Everything Devils are evil schemers by nature, but they must operate within the bounds of the Nine Hells’ intricate legal code. A devil’s attitude toward the law is in part driven by its

fulfill their obligations, but they fight just as furiously when they are engaged. A devil receives credit for each foe it slays, based on the worthiness of the opponent and whether the devil scored

Crime in Sharn

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

be driven to murder by passion. A refugee could become a cutpurse out of desperation. The rowdy Brelish veterans who call themselves the Brokenbridge Brawlers don’t think of themselves as criminals

information about them that’s more or less common knowledge in Sharn. This section explores the roles that each one could play in a Sharn-based campaign. Although the powerful organizations in Sharn have a

S13. Main Hall

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

driven berserk, she fights until the Abbot reasserts control or until she is destroyed. She has the supernatural strength of a typical flesh golem despite her smaller size. The Abbot has no desire to

can’t be convinced otherwise. The Abbot shares his beliefs openly, claiming that his decisions are based on the Morninglord’s guidance. He will give visitors a tour of the abbey if they seem friendly

Black Dragon Adventures

Compendium - Sources->Dungeons & Dragons->Fizban's Treasury of Dragons

secretly being driven to war by the machinations of a black dragon, who hopes to revel in the resulting carnage. 4 When swamplands shrink due to a prolonged drought, two black dragons form a temporary

avatar of their deity. The dragon now uses the cult to destabilize the local sovereign’s rule. 3 Ruins rumored to hold the treasury of a lost empire are guarded by an elaborate network of ooze-based

Annam and the Ordning

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

target of resentment and complaints from other giants. Surtur Surtur is the elder twin of Thrym, and rivalry has driven the two gods from the moment of their birth. Surtur is generally depicted as the

cleverer of the two, often outwitting his brother in contests where Thrym’s greater strength might otherwise let him prevail. Their history of competition ranges from striving to outdo each other in

Werewolves in the Mist

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

, the order is a dedicated group of like-minded individuals driven by religious zeal or a finely honed sense of justice and honor. The order is ready to lash out the moment evil acts, and not a moment

return to Barovia through some kind of ancient portal. (This is a deduction on Eravien’s part, based on the werewolf prisoner’s vague description of how the pack gets to and from Barovia.) Eravien believes

After the Fall

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

your fears; some find a way to move beyond them, but others can be driven mad. To discover a secret of someone who is dead. Adventurers might need to go to the Shadowfell to find a soul that has been

. Desperate adventurers might seek her out as a last resort or be led to her realm by a series of tempting clues. Method or Madness? Some wizards and other scholars have speculated that the Raven Queen is

City Celebrations

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

depiction, for it represents one of a handful of dragons the city has faced in its history. After being paraded to a square near where the dragon was defeated or driven off, the enormous effigy is burned

. Many festhalls sponsor Founders’ Day costume contests, with prizes going to those who wear the best recreations of the garb of historical personages. Once banned as frivolous and distracting, the

Obzedat, the Ghost Council

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

guild and accumulate even larger fortunes. Mostly Unanimous. The ghosts of the Obzedat function as a unit, driven by their shared desire to accumulate ever more wealth for the guild. In times of

Challenge 8 (3,900 XP) Council of Five. The ghost has a trait based on who it is, as shown below: Enezesku: Enfeebling Ray. Enezesku’s Innate Spellcasting trait includes ray of enfeeblement, which he

Factions in the North

Compendium - Sources->Dungeons & Dragons->Storm King's Thunder

last resort. The Harpers were instrumental in defeating Tiamat and ending the tyranny of dragons, and with reports of giant attacks on the rise, they see giants as an emergent threat to peace in the

to take place sometime after 1485 DR, the Year of the Iron Dwarf’s Vengeance, during which a horde of orcs waged war on the North before being driven back into the mountains. This conflict is referred

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