before beings devoted canaries reason

Hermit Legacy

Backgrounds Player’s Handbook (2014)

case stuffed full of notes from your studies or prayers, a winter blanket, a set of common clothes, an herbalism kit, and 5 gp Life of Seclusion What was the reason for your isolation, and what

changed to allow you to end your solitude? You can work with your DM to determine the exact nature of your seclusion, or you can choose or roll on the table below to determine the reason behind your

Warlock of the Great Old One

Monsters Mordenkainen Presents: Monsters of the Multiverse

of these warlocks associate with cultists devoted to these entities, as well as Aberrations that share their goals, yet other warlocks of the Great Old One are experts at rooting out the chaos and

wickedness inspired by bizarre beings from beyond the stars. Warlocks Warlocks gain arcane might through magical pacts with mysterious entities. While some use their abilities to serve the sources of their power, others use them to undermine or even destroy these entities.Psychic

Storm Herald

Monsters Bigby Presents: Glory of the Giants

: control water, control weather (as an action), sendingAncient and alien beings dwell or slumber in ocean depths, awaiting some cosmic circumstance that signals their time to rise. In their retreat

other storm giants to its master’s service, while others gather devoted cults of lesser creatures to serve the monsters of the deep.Lightning, ThunderCold, Psychic

Giff Legacy

Monsters Mordenkainen’s Tome of Foes

rank. Promotions don’t depend on age but are granted by a superior as a reward for valor. Giff are devoted to their children, even as most of their education is geared toward fighting and war

brighter the flash, and the thicker the smoke it produces, the more giff love a weapon. Their skill with gunpowder is another reason for their popularity as mercenaries. Giff revel in the challenge of

Auril (Third Form)

Monsters Icewind Dale: Rime of the Frostmaiden

using her magic. Casting such great magic night after night while also granting spells to her devoted followers leaves Auril weak and vulnerable. In her self-inflicted weakened state, Auril is inclined

time). Thus, she has no reason to capitulate to mortals’ demands. As the embodiment of winter’s cruelty, she is incapable of showing mercy or compassion. Play her as a supremely cold and

Lizardfolk Legacy

Species Volo's Guide to Monsters

; Instead, aggressive, stronger creatures register to the lizardfolk as fearsome beings to be avoided if possible. If such creatures attack, lizardfolk flee, fighting only if cornered. Lizardfolk aren

, if other creatures prove useful to lizardfolk, those creatures can trigger a protective response made all the stronger by their apparent weakness. The lizardfolk assess such beings as hatchlings

Auril (First Form)

Monsters Icewind Dale: Rime of the Frostmaiden

realm in the far north and, after a time, plunged it into frigid darkness using her magic. Casting such great magic night after night while also granting spells to her devoted followers leaves Auril

can’t truly die (although the characters can rid the world of her for a time). Thus, she has no reason to capitulate to mortals’ demands. As the embodiment of winter’s cruelty, she is

Hermit - Baldur's Gate

Backgrounds Baldur’s Gate: Descent into Avernus

powerful beings of the outer planes, or the forces of nature. It could be a site that no one else has ever seen. You might have uncovered a fact that has long been forgotten, or unearthed some relic of the

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

Auril (Second Form)

Monsters Icewind Dale: Rime of the Frostmaiden

night while also granting spells to her devoted followers leaves Auril weak and vulnerable. In her self-inflicted weakened state, Auril is inclined to be cautious and avoid contact with other creatures

might prove helpful: So long as she has mortal worshipers, Auril can’t truly die (although the characters can rid the world of her for a time). Thus, she has no reason to capitulate to mortals

Option 1: Mysterious Patron

Compendium - Sources->Dungeons & Dragons->Dragon Delves

might be a charismatic young monk, a kindly teacher, a diminutive scamp, or a scatter-brained elder, and might or might not be accompanied by seven golden canaries or dazzling yellow butterflies, which

that doesn’t at first seem to involve a dragon (such as “The Will of Orcus,” chapter 3) turns out to revolve around one, but of course that’s exactly the reason Bahamut sent the characters to investigate

Kobold Legacy

Species Volo's Guide to Monsters

undetected and don’t give their targets reason to harm them. For example, a group of city kobolds might sneak into a cobbler’s house at night to loot it of knives, leather bits, nails, and

, giving each individual and every generation a reason to feel pride and self-respect. The kobolds prefer to run away than fight, to live off the scraps of others, and they are often dominated by larger

Paladin Legacy

Classes Basic Rules (2014)

sacred glade before nature spirits and fey beings, or in a moment of desperation and grief with the dead as the only witness, a paladin’s oath is a powerful bond. It is a source of power that

sacred work. Although many paladins are devoted to gods of good, a paladin’s power comes as much from a commitment to justice itself as it does from a god. Paladins train for years to learn the

Green Dragons

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

. Elusive, conniving, and egotistical, these chromatic dragons patiently prey on the fears of shorter-lived beings, corrupting and isolating them. Green dragons might lurk amid labyrinthine wildernesses

for centuries without revealing themselves; even their most devoted followers might know them only as the voice of the woodlands or a whisper in their dreams. Despite their might, most green dragons

The Dark Powers

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

The Dark Powers Unfathomable, hidden forces manipulate life, death, and reality within Ravenloft. These mysterious, deathless beings are the architects of the Domains of Dread, and have secreted

villains to add to their terrifying menagerie. To what end, no one knows. The Dark Powers don’t move in the shadows of Ravenloft; they are the shadows. They’re the Mists and the darkness. They’re the reason

Dark Sun

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

planes — and they lost. The gods were slain or driven into exile, leaving Athas under the dominion of elemental beings who took little interest in the affairs of mortals. In the grim age that

only the strongest survive. One of the hallmarks of the Dark Sun setting is that the heroes don’t need to seek out forgotten dungeons to find adventure — mere survival is adventure enough. But there is no reason you can’t successfully adapt Princes of the Apocalypse to your Dark Sun campaign.

Death Tyrant

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

be perfect beings. No matter how death tyrants come into being, bizarre impulses drive their deathless existences. Their motivations tend to be extreme or beyond the reason of living creatures.

Rudolph van Richten

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

Rudolph van Richten A scholar and monster hunter, Rudolph van Richten has traveled to dozens of Domains of Dread in the Shadowfell (see chapter 6), investigating reports of monstrous beings and

, van Richten has hunted monsters and armed others with the knowledge they need to confront evil. Though he’s made many devoted allies, he keeps them at arm’s length, fearing the threat of his curse

Mournland Villains

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

Mournland Villains Few people have reason to spend time anywhere near the Mournland. Among the exceptions are those who seek to plunder the riches of lost Cyre, such as Ikar’s Salvage (described

capture in the Mournland. 2 The leader of a cult devoted to Belashyrra, the Lord of Eyes, uses daelkyr-made tentacles to tear out the eyes of victims and attaches them to members of the cult. 3 A

Rudolph van Richten

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

Rudolph van Richten A scholar and monster hunter, Rudolph van Richten has traveled to dozens of domains, investigating reports of monstrous beings and documenting them in a series of published guides

with the knowledge they need to confront the dark. Though he’s made many devoted allies, he keeps them at arm’s length, fearing the threat of his curse. When not traveling, van Richten lives out of his

Cults of the Dragon Below

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

Cults of the Dragon Below The Cults of the Dragon Below are made up of people fanatically devoted to the daelkyr or the fiendish overlords (both described in chapter 6). Though some choose this path

organizations with global reach, the cults have no organizing structure or principle. They are an infection inflicted on the world without reason. “Cult of the Dragon Below” is a term that outsiders use

Bhaal

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

beings through unlawful means. Some people pray to Bhaal when they want to commit murder. A person might have good reason to resort to murder, such as when one is unable to redress some injustice

Druid

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

Druid Steward and Sage of Nature Habitat: Any; Treasure: Individual, Relics Cynthia Sheppard Druids use primal magic, traditional teachings, and bonds with animals and eldritch beings to guard the

natural world and heal its ills. These magic-users might be recluses devoted to a particular land, or they might be part of a mystic organization. Roll on or choose a result from the Druidic Traditions

Evil Inchoate

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

Evil Inchoate I will be the last creature when I am done. The cosmos will then be perfect, free of the braying abominations that are all other living things. — Orcus As beings of utter chaos and

particular affinity for their own kind, which is the biggest reason why they seldom cooperate with one another unless they are forced to submit to a demon lord or other leader. Going even farther, every

Dragon Servitors

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

legend of the creatures’ origin is passed down from elder to hatchling, giving each individual and every generation a reason to feel pride and self-respect. The kobolds prefer to run away than fight, to

dragons. Kobolds willingly serve chromatic dragons and worship them as if they were demigods — mighty beings of divine descent. This isn’t a casual sort of worship or lip service; kobolds are awed in the

Eberron

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

. The philosophy of the Blood of Vol teaches that divinity lies within all mortal beings and reveres the undead who have secured that immortality. Various cults are devoted to the demons and horrors

religions are very different from the traditional D&D pantheons. The monotheistic Church of the Silver Flame is devoted to fighting against evil in the world, but plagued by corruption in its own ranks

Ankhtepot

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

, his ka—the vital essence that inspires all living beings. Ankhtepot reawakened, trapped and paralyzed within his corpse as he was mummified along with his treacherous followers. The murderous priest

, and he answered with certainty. Granted new freedom by the Dark Powers, Ankhtepot emerged from his crypt into the domain of Har’Akir. In this new land, Ankhtepot found a pious people devoted to the same

Daask NPCs

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

organization include changelings, gnolls, harpies, ogres, minotaurs, medusas, trolls, and other monstrous beings. Basilisks, cockatrices, death dogs, displacer beasts, and similar monsters are kept by Daask

current leader of the Daask cell in Sharn. She is the mastermind of the organization’s machinations against the Boromar Clan, a scholar obsessed with studying Sharn’s manifest zone, and a devoted

Jander Sunstar

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

adventurer resulted in the birth of Savra Sunstar, a dhampir (see chapter 1) who Jander considers his daughter. Savra loathes him, though, and has devoted her life to hunting him and all vampires. This

.” Flaw. “My insights and pain carry more weight than those of younger, more naive beings.” Adventures with Jander Sunstar Jander Sunstar is a vampire and one of Ravenloft’s foremost experts on vampirism

Aberrant Dragonmarks

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

dragonmarked families produce a child, and for this reason such unions are absolutely forbidden by the Twelve. But aberrant dragonmarks can appear on members of any race, at any age, regardless of bloodline

devoted to you. All of these factors have led to the general superstition that people with aberrant dragonmarks are dangerous, that their marks drive them crazy or turn them into sociopaths. These

Kobold

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

reason, kobolds hate gnomes and pranks of any kind. Kurtulmak’s most devoted worshipers dedicate themselves to finding and releasing their lost god from his prison-maze. Kobold Small humanoid (kobold

Druids of Khorvaire

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

strengthen the whole. We must destroy undead and ensure that the cycle continues. We, the Gatekeepers, protect the natural world from the forces that come from outside it, from those beings that slither in

, consider whether you have ties to one of these traditions, and what led you to leave your order. Are you on a mission? Are you exploring the world? Have you been banished, with good reason or otherwise?

Templars of the Silver Flame

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

regardless of order. You can count on these clergy to help you secure spellcasting services, and to offer you other material aid within reason. Enemies. Since the order of knights templar is sworn to

Undead. Unnatural beings loathe templars, as they represent everything these foul creatures despise—light, life, hope, and good. These menaces sometimes go to great lengths to trap and destroy templars

Hermit

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

stuffed full of notes from your studies or prayers, a winter blanket, a set of common clothes, an herbalism kit, and 5 gp Life of Seclusion What was the reason for your isolation, and what changed to

allow you to end your solitude? You can work with your DM to determine the exact nature of your seclusion, or you can choose or roll on the table below to determine the reason behind your seclusion

The Shadowdusks

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

. Their brother, Xerrion, came to possess the tablet and used it to contact otherworldly beings in an attempt to destroy his family’s business rivals and political enemies. This contact drove Xerrion

devoted to each other and are obsessed with returning their family to prominence and ultimately seizing control of Waterdeep.

Storm Herald

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

Storm Herald Ancient and alien beings dwell or slumber in ocean depths, awaiting some cosmic circumstance that signals their time to rise. In their retreat from the world, storm giants sometimes

devoted cults of lesser creatures to serve the monsters of the deep. Storm Herald Huge Aberration, Typically Lawful Evil Armor Class 16 (natural armor) Hit Points 287 (23d12 + 138) Speed 50 ft., swim

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