before best driven couple reflective

Fog Giant

Monsters Mordenkainen's Fiendish Folio Volume 1

cloud giants in the ordning—the set of values and expectations that determines their rank in giant society—is driven by wealth. Those cloud giants foolish or unlucky enough to have their

work with ambitious humans, renegade elves, and greedy dwarves—all folk they see as properly civilized. They treat orcs, goblinoids, and other “barbarian” types as pesky vermin, best

Demogorgon

Monsters Mordenkainen Presents: Monsters of the Multiverse

by a skull-shaped minaret. There, Demogorgon’s heads contemplate the mysteries of the arcane while arguing about how best to obliterate their rivals. The bulk of this palace extends deep

Demogorgon’s followers are typically lone killers driven by the whispering voice of their master. His most blessed followers gain the Two Minds of Chaos trait. Two Minds of Chaos. This creature

Star Spawn Hulk

Monsters Mordenkainen Presents: Monsters of the Multiverse

seer nearby. A hulk appears to have little will of its own and is driven to protect its master. Star Spawn The Material Plane represents only one small part of the multiverse. Beyond the best

Goliath Legacy

Species Elemental Evil Player's Companion

the responsibility to earn a place in the tribe or die trying. Driven Competitors Every day brings a new challenge to a goliath. Food, water, and shelter are rare in the uppermost mountain reaches. A

skills. This dedication to competition has a dark side. Goliaths are ferocious competitors, but above all else they are driven to outdo their past efforts. If a goliath slays a dragon, he or she might

Age

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

. Here are a couple of ways to reinforce these pervasive themes: Take time to describe the rotting timbers of buildings, the faded and moth-eaten clothing of the Barovian peasantry, the worm-ridden pages

of old books, and the rust on iron fences and gates. A character gazing into a mirror, a pool, or other reflective surface might glimpse an older, more decrepit version of himself or herself.

Satyr Legacy

Species Mythic Odysseys of Theros

Satyrs have a well-earned reputation for their good spirits, gregarious personalities, and love of revels. Most satyrs are driven by simple desires, to see the world and to sample its every pleasure

importantly—it feels really good. Driven by instinct and intuition, most satyrs prove unpredictable, following their sense of wonder wherever it leads. Very Odd Indeed Satyrs are known for their

Orzhov Representative

Backgrounds Guildmasters’ Guide to Ravnica

concentrates the spoils at the top of the hierarchy. As a functionary in that system, your best hope is to claim as much as possible of the money that passes through your hands on its way up, so that

and wealth. (Evil) 5 Stability. The economy functions best when chaos is kept under control and everyone knows their place. (Lawful) 6 Eternity. I want to live forever — in

Hobgoblin

Species Mordenkainen Presents: Monsters of the Multiverse

Hobgoblins trace their origins to the ancient courts of the Feywild, where they first appeared with their goblin and bugbear kin. Many of them were driven from the Feywild by the conquering god

the Player’s Handbook, and choose the row in the table that best represents the build you imagine for your character.

Half-Elf Legacy

Species Basic Rules (2014)

, Dragons of Autumn Twilight Walking in two worlds but truly belonging to neither, half-elves combine what some say are the best qualities of their elf and human parents: human curiosity

, 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

Criminal - Baldur's Gate

Backgrounds Baldur’s Gate: Descent into Avernus

Guild took over your family business, ran it into the ground, and burned the building for insurance money. You were driven into crime yourself, but you’ll never work for the Guild. You take

; but what you learn you pass on to the Guild. 4 The inequality of Baldur’s Gate has driven you to take matters into your own hands. You steal from patriars and rich Lower City residents

Darklord's Shadows

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

Darklord’s Shadows A Darklord lurks at the heart of every Domain of Dread. Everything in their realm is inspired by or personalized to them in some way. Some domains might be dismal ruins reflective

committed. Consider selecting those that best complement the players’ characters and that don’t conflict with any boundaries discussed in your group’s session zero (see “Preparing for Horror” in chapter 4

Goodwill Tour

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

Charisma checks during this activity can add to the characters’ points and help sway the lizardfolk into an alliance with Saltmarsh. For the best possible outcome, the characters must win over most or all

formalized. If they fall short at the end of the 24 hours, there are a couple of other ways (see below) that they can get to the required number.

Kobold Legacy

Species Volo's Guide to Monsters

provoke retaliatory attacks from the creatures they steal from. It’s better to be cautious and overlooked than to be considered dangerous and a threat. In a couple of situations, kobolds might

; animosity, gnomes tend to avoid or abandon settlements that have a severe infestation of kobolds, and conversely kobolds are usually driven out of communities that have a large gnome population

Cosmic Horror

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

emerges through imagination and the indescribable, not details. At its best, cosmic horror makes characters feel gradually unmoored from their familiar reality. Cosmic horror is about ineffable forces

driven by motivations humans can’t understand. Cults, forbidden books, and strange symbols form the cornerstones of cosmic horror. The genre has a history of framing marginalized demographics as monstrous and stigmatizing mental illness. Be aware and avoid those tropes.

Life in Yeonido

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

key components of life within the city. Change is possible, but usually only when it’s driven by members of the royal family or the noble clans. Queen Jin-Mi sits at the apex of the social order

—whether for love or for social or political reasons, both of which are considered equally valid—they must choose which partner’s clan they will belong to after the union. In rare cases, a new couple

Epic Fantasy

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

and evil as a prominent element of the game, with the adventurers more or less squarely on the side of good. These characters are heroes in the best sense, driven by a higher purpose than selfish

Treasure

Compendium - Sources->Dungeons & Dragons->Out of the Abyss

Treasure Just as they must ensure sufficient supplies for all the NPCs, the characters need to think about how best to share the spoils of encounters and adventures with their followers. Although the

, whether NPCs stealing from spoils not yet divided, stealing from the adventurers, or stealing from each other. Such theft might be driven by sheer greed, or it could be a manifestation of madness. A

Nymmurh

Compendium - Sources->Dungeons & Dragons->Rise of Tiamat

potential of humanoids is partly driven by his affection for and protection of the noble Silmerhelve human family in Waterdeep (including Dala Silmerhelve; see “Chapter 9:Council of Waterdeep”). Desire

. Nymmurh would like to help the factions, looking to the Harpers and the Order of the Gauntlet as epitomizing the best traits of humanoid aspiration. Attitude. Unless the party has engaged in

Able Scavengers

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

they steal from. It’s better to be cautious and overlooked than to be considered dangerous and a threat. In a couple of situations, kobolds might abandon this careful approach. First, because of their

infestation of kobolds, and conversely kobolds are usually driven out of communities that have a large gnome population. Second, kobolds are always on the lookout for magic that might help them free their

Genasi Legacy

Species Elemental Evil Player's Companion

, seeing them as accidents. Many feel nothing for their genasi children at all. Some genasi live as outcasts, driven into exile for their unsettling appearance and strange magic, or assuming leadership

time. People there tend to be less accepting of differences. Sometimes a cold shoulder and a suspicious glare are the best genasi can hope for; in more backward places, they face ostracism and even

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

portable! 2 You sleep best while mostly submerged in water. 3 Money is meaningless to you. 4 You think there are only two species of humanoid: lizardfolk and meat. 5 You have

Nymmurh

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

potential of humanoids is partly driven by his affection for and protection of the noble Silmerhelve human family in Waterdeep (including Dala Silmerhelve; see “Chapter 9: Council of Waterdeep

”). Desire. Nymmurh would like to help the factions, looking to the Harpers and the Order of the Gauntlet as epitomizing the best traits of humanoid aspiration. Attitude. Unless the party has engaged in

Kas the Betrayer

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

made for him (the Sword of Kas, described in chapter 7) by his liege. But the evil sword convinced Kas to betray Vecna, and now Kas is driven primarily by his hatred for his former lord. Keraptis

figure best known as the Worm That Walks. Kyuss manifests on the Material Plane as a colossal mass of maggots and worms animated by a single evil will. HELGE C. BALZER Kyuss

A Bard's Muse

Compendium - Sources->Dungeons & Dragons->Xanathar's Guide to Everything

versatility. Others adopt a more personal approach to their art, driven by their attachment to a muse — a particular concept that inspires much of what those bards do in front of an audience. A bard who

follows a muse generally does so to gain a deeper understanding of what that muse represents and how to best convey that understanding to others through performance. If your bard character has a muse, it

Shar

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

drawn to serve Shar often nurture their own deep wounds or dark secrets, which in their minds makes them best suited to console those who suffer from a similar ill. Throughout the world’s history, many

followers have caused many places to outlaw her worship and thus driven most of her priests into secrecy, but such prohibitions only heighten the priests’ umbrage at authorities and make the faithful a focal point for rebellion and revenge against whoever rules.

Why Are You Here?

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

, you may have seen something in the upper wards that has driven you into the darkness. Any character could have run afoul of the Sharn Watch, a powerful noble, or a sinister conspiracy; if you leave

find the light. Your soldier or folk hero serves as the unofficial sheriff, protecting the innocent as best you can. You might work as a ratcatcher, a healer, or a private inquisitive solving mysteries. Callestan may be miserable, but it’s your home and these are your people.

Goblin Legacy

Species Volo's Guide to Monsters

. Hunters. The families of goblins that are skilled in the use of weapons but not privy to any other special knowledge have the second highest status in the tribe. Hunters are often the best wolf riders

tradition rarely persists for more than a couple of generations. Because they have so little experience with magic, goblins make no distinction between its forms. To them all magic is “booyahg,&rdquo

Heliod as Campaign Villain

Compendium - Sources->Dungeons & Dragons->Mythic Odysseys of Theros

peevishness brings the worst of the sun god’s qualities into focus. As a campaign villain, Heliod is most likely driven by his desire to assert his rulership over the other gods of the pantheon and his

hubris of nobles who boast of having the best hounds, Heliod turns all dogs into wolves and monsters that kill and run wild. 4 Heliod arms a champion with his weapon, Khrusor, but the hero goes

Klothys's Influence

Compendium - Sources->Dungeons & Dragons->Mythic Odysseys of Theros

escape and destroy the order she had established. Due to this undertaking, she is also the god of secrets best kept quiet and powers best untouched. Klothys’s Goals Once content to oversee and preserve

relationships with Erebos and Athreos are complicated. Ages spent in the Underworld with Erebos have driven home for her how arrogant and tyrannical he is, as ready to commit the same sins as Heliod if given the

Sharn Watch NPCs

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

garrison in Middle Central. He does his best to serve the interests of the nobles and wealthy patrons in the Central Plateau, and as a result these wards are among the safest in Sharn. But Yorgan’s

. Over a century of service, she has woven a net of graft and extortion across Menthis Plateau; she looks after those who pay their dues. Her mother was driven from House Phiarlan when she developed an

Roleplaying

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

that best describe the creature. Knowing the creature’s alignment can also help with your portrayal. The classic advice for writers holds true: show, don’t tell. For example, rather than describe an

focuses attention on that character. Some NPCs might pay particular attention to characters with whom they feel kinship. If a couple of players are doing most of the talking in a social interaction, take a

Finding Nim's Creation

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

Finding Nim’s Creation Jarlaxle Baenre Equipped with the nimblewright detector, the characters can search for Nim’s escaped creation. A ward-by-ward search is the best approach, but let the

players tell you how their characters conduct the search. Depending on where they go, the search could take days. A character mounted on a griffon can complete a city-wide search in a couple of hours. To

Running Allies

Compendium - Sources->Dungeons & Dragons->The Book of Many Things

ally a couple of distinguishing personality traits or mannerisms—such as greed, a love of beer, or a favorite expression—to make it easier to roleplay the ally on a moment’s notice. If you don’t want

this case, you can explain the ally’s capabilities to the players so that the party can best use the ally. Keep Allies Less Powerful Players can feel undervalued if an ally is outperforming their

Gambler

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

Me the Odds Odds and probability are your bread and butter. During downtime activities that involve games of chance or figuring odds on the best plan, you can get a solid sense of which choice is

likely the best one and which opportunities seem too good to be true, at the DM’s determination. Suggested Characteristics Some gamble out of necessity. Others do so out of boredom. Still others become

After the Battle

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

region around Etizalan is suffering a spate of earthquakes and incursions from fiery monsters. Three days ago, Ameyali sent four of the town’s best warriors to seek insight from the Watchers of the Ashes

couple of miles from Etizalan, and the journey has already proven more dangerous than expected. For their safety, her group must abandon its mission. Once the characters and Ameyali reach Etizalan, she

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