before books dread called race

Kiona's Notes

Equipment

Kiona the Dread Lord;Kiona has filled nearly thirty books with notes and secrets about the Codex Mortis. If you spend 80 hours studying Kiona’s notes, you gain the following benefits: You

Undercity Medusa

Monsters Guildmasters’ Guide to Ravnica

medusas of Ravnica, often called gorgons, are a monstrous race of creatures that appear superficially similar to human women. In place of hair, a gorgon has a writhing mass of black, serpentine

Oath of the Ancients Legacy

Classes Player’s Handbook (2014)

The Oath of the Ancients is as old as the race of elves and the rituals of the druids. Sometimes called fey knights, green knights, or horned knights, paladins who swear this oath cast their lot with

Miirym

Monsters Candlekeep Mysteries

the books and scrolls kept in her subterranean domain. The Sentinel Wyrm can be summoned by the Keeper of Tomes and called upon to defend Candlekeep from invaders who would plunder or destroy it. In her

see.Well over 1,500 years ago, the silver dragon Miirym broke into Candlekeep, intent on adding its riches to her hoard. She devoured scholars and destroyed a score of irreplaceable books before she was

Crown of Lies

Magic Items Vecna: Eve of Ruin

After betraying and nearly destroying the lich Vecna, the warrior Kas found himself trapped in the Shadowfell, imprisoned in a Domain of Dread called Tovag. There, he languished as a vampire. In time

, the Dark Powers of the Domain of Dread lured Kas to a hidden forge, where he found the Crown of Lies. Once Kas vowed to deliver Vecna into the Dark Powers’ clutches and donned the crown, the

Hexblood

Species Van Richten’s Guide to Ravenloft

unusual crown, often called an eldercross or a witch’s turn. This living, garland-like part of a hexblood’s body extends from their temples and wraps behind the head, serving as a visible

changed you and forced you from your home. 6 A slighted druid transformed you and bound you to live only so long as a sacred tree bears fruit. Hexbloods in the Domains of Dread When

Gremorly's Ghost

Monsters The Book of Many Things

, Prestidigitation 2/day each: Bestow Curse, Dispel Magic 1/day: SlowYears ago, a wizard named Gremorly drew the Throne card from a Deck of Many Things, gaining ownership of a small castle called Sovereign

Gremorly, who became a victim of his own ritual. Gremorly is now one of the many ghosts that haunt the keep. Locals have renamed the keep Harrowhall, as they dread the spectral figures moving through the

Shadar-kai

Species Mordenkainen Presents: Monsters of the Multiverse

Shadar-kai are the elves of the Shadowfell, originally drawn to that dread realm by the Raven Queen. Over the centuries, some of them have continued to serve her, while others have ventured into the

, shadar-kai can live to be over 750 years old. Creating Your Character At 1st level, you choose whether your character is a member of the human race or of a fantastical race. If you select a fantastical

Malaxxix

Monsters The Book of Many Things

attack.Legends describe the dread being Malaxxix as the child of one of the night hags who created the first yugoloths. Malaxxix is often lumped in with such Fiends, perhaps because it too has a grand

’ll be found by mortals who are desperate for power and ripe for corruption. Malaxxix seeks the Books of Keeping: ancient tomes that contain the true names of all yugoloths. To this end, it

Lineages

Species Van Richten’s Guide to Ravenloft

In the Land of the Mists, power and dread lie in the simple question “What happened to me?” The following lineages are races that characters might gain through remarkable events. These

overshadow their original race, if any, becoming their new race. A character might choose a lineage during character creation, their transformation having occurred before play begins. Or, events might

Githyanki

Species Mordenkainen Presents: Monsters of the Multiverse

psionic powers and built a great city called Tu’narath. They have since spread throughout the multiverse, starting in outposts outside the Astral Plane, called creches, where time passes and their

astral clouds. Githyanki who reside in the Astral Plane can live indefinitely. Creating Your Character At 1st level, you choose whether your character is a member of the human race or of a fantastical

Aarakocra

Species Mordenkainen Presents: Monsters of the Multiverse

;and were imbued with a measure of their masters’ power over winds. Their descendants still command echoes of that power. From below, aarakocra look like large birds and thus are sometimes called

At 1st level, you choose whether your character is a member of the human race or of a fantastical race. If you select a fantastical race, follow these additional rules during character creation

Shifter

Species Mordenkainen Presents: Monsters of the Multiverse

Shifters are sometimes called weretouched, as they are descendants of people who contracted full or partial lycanthropy. Humanoids with a bestial aspect, shifters can’t fully change shape, but

race or of a fantastical race. If you select a fantastical race, follow these additional rules during character creation. Ability Score Increases When determining your character’s ability

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

self-improvement reflects the self-sufficiency of the race as a whole. Dragonborn value skill and excellence in all endeavors. They hate to fail, and they push themselves to extreme efforts before they

Changeling

Species Mordenkainen Presents: Monsters of the Multiverse

on the spur of the moment, with no depth or history—is called a mask. A mask can be used to express a mood or to serve a specific purpose and then might never be used again. However, many

level, you choose whether your character is a member of the human race or of a fantastical race. If you select a fantastical race, follow these additional rules during character creation. Ability

Cleric Legacy

Classes Basic Rules (2014)

provoke awe and dread, lay curses of plague or poison, and even call down flames from heaven to consume their enemies. For those evildoers who will benefit most from a mace to the head, clerics depend on

their combat training to let them wade into melee with the power of the gods on their side. Divine Agents Not every acolyte or officiant at a temple or shrine is a cleric. Some priests are called to

Dread Warriors

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

the fighting skill they possessed in life. No race is immune from being transformed into a dread warrior. Once set upon a task, these undead will do nothing—will not pause or turn aside—until they’ve fulfilled their orders.

Dread Warriors Created from the freshly dead bodies of skilled warriors, dread warriors are especially formidable zombie-like creatures, retaining some of their intelligence and much of

Hierophant Medusa

Monsters The Book of Many Things

martyrs’ remains until the martyrs are called back to life to oppose a world-changing foe. 2 Gather the lost shards of a dead god’s petrified body, and reunite them on the altar in the

filling books, scrolls, tablets, or stranger archives—such as magical crystals that hold captured memories or the voices of those long dead. You can use this lair and the lair actions described for

Dread Warriors

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

the fighting skill they possessed in life. No race is immune from being transformed into a dread warrior. Once set upon a task, these undead will do nothing—will not pause or turn aside—until they’ve fulfilled their orders.

Dread Warriors Created from the freshly dead bodies of skilled warriors, dread warriors are especially formidable zombie-like creatures, retaining some of their intelligence and much of

Arasta

Monsters Mythic Odysseys of Theros

in an enormous, gnarled olive tree called Enorasi, which was planted millennia ago by Klothys. It is said that those who eat of its fruit can see glimpses of the future. Eating the fruit brings with

touching her webs. Each creature restrained by a web or Arasta’s Web of Hair must make a DC 21 Intelligence saving throw. On a failed save, Arasta gains knowledge of a creature’s name, race

Giff

Species Spelljammer: Adventures in Space

own, which giff have learned to channel through their weapons. Most giff have no idea where this so-called astral spark comes from, but they feel its presence most strongly when they are in Wildspace

character is a member of the human race or one of the game’s fantastical races. If you create a character using a race option presented here, follow these additional rules during character creation

The Zhentarim

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

possessed in life. No race is immune from being transformed into a dread warrior. Once set upon a task, these undead will do nothing—will not pause or turn aside—until they’ve fulfilled their orders. Dread warriors make up the terrifying undead army of the Red Wizards. Dread Warrior

another. A winged snake is trained to serve a particular master. If its master dies, the snake has been known to remain nearby and starve to death. Zhentarim agent and winged snake Dread Warriors

Hobgoblin Legacy

Species Volo's Guide to Monsters

; entire society forever stands prepared for war. Brutal Civility Hobgoblins hold themselves to high standards of military honor. The race has a long history of shared traditions, recorded and retold

gods unique to their race, the only survivors of a pantheon that was decimated by Maglubiyet so long ago that hobgoblins don’t remember the names of the fallen. Nomog-Geaya is the greater of the

26. Hoarded Secrets

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

26. Hoarded Secrets The nothics steal books and store them in this chamber, the features of which are as follows: Tapestry. A tapestry depicting silhouetted figures standing before a starry sky

covers the west wall. Towers of Books. Stacks of books are set around the room, some rising almost to the ceiling. Treasure A search of the stacks turns up four profoundly philosophical texts worth 250

Anthropologist

Backgrounds Tomb of Annihilation

books and scrolls, but also through first-hand observation—by visiting far-flung settlements and exploring local histories and customs. Skill Proficiencies: Insight, ReligionLanguages

and the ways of their people, who eventually treated you as one of their own. One culture had more of an influence on you than any other, shaping your beliefs and customs. Choose a race whose culture

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

1 Ever since I was a child, I’ve heard stories about a lost city. I aim to find it, learn its secrets, and earn my place in the history books. 2 I want to find my mentor, who

9. Secret Room

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

9. Secret Room This secret room contains bookshelves packed with tomes describing fiend-summoning rituals and the necromantic rituals of a cult called the Priests of Osybus. The rituals are bogus

, which any character can ascertain after studying the books for 1 hour and succeeding on a DC 12 Intelligence (Arcana) check. A heavy wooden chest with clawed iron feet stands against the south wall, its

Lineages

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

Lineages In the Land of the Mists, power and dread lie in the simple question “What happened to me?” The following lineages are races that characters might gain through remarkable events. These

overshadow their original race, if any, becoming their new race. A character might choose a lineage during character creation, their transformation having occurred before play begins. Or, events might

Cycle of Dread

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

Cycle of Dread Monsters and wild beasts mysteriously appear to menace the people of Yeonido A bitter spirit and strict local traditions trap Yeonido in a cycle of quiet suffering. While spirits

called gwishin are well known among the city’s populace, social mores prevent people from speaking openly about their dead ancestors. One vengeful gwishin takes advantage of this custom to torment the city.

Domains of Dread

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

Domains of Dread In remote corners of the Shadowfell, it is easy to reach horrific demiplanes ruled over by accursed beings of terrible evil. The best known of these is the valley of Barovia

, overlooked by the towering spires of Castle Ravenloft and ruled by Count Strahd von Zarovich, the first vampire. Beings of the Shadowfell called the Dark Powers created these domains as prisons for these “darklords,” and through cruelty or carelessness trapped innocent mortals in these domains as well.

Chapter 5 Summary

Compendium - Sources->Dungeons & Dragons->Vecna: Eve of Ruin

Chapter 5 Summary Chapter 5 takes place in Barovia, a Domain of Dread. The characters learn that the fourth rod piece was taken to a haunted residence called Death House. Cultists and the infamous

Malaxxix the Shackler

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

Malaxxix the Shackler Legends describe the dread being Malaxxix as the child of one of the night hags who created the first yugoloths. Malaxxix is often lumped in with such Fiends, perhaps because it

that they’ll be found by mortals who are desperate for power and ripe for corruption. Malaxxix seeks the Books of Keeping: ancient tomes that contain the true names of all yugoloths. To this end, it

Kenku Legacy

Species Volo's Guide to Monsters

copy existing items with exceptional skill, allowing them to become excellent artisans and scribes. They can copy books, make replicas of objects, and otherwise thrive in situations where they can

groups called flocks. A flock is led by the oldest and most experienced kenku with the widest store of knowledge to draw on, often called Master. Although kenku can’t create new things, they have

Race For The Crab Temple

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

Race For The Crab Temple An adventure for Level 3 characters THESHARN INQUISITIVE RIVALS RACE TO WRETCHED RUIN Not one but two expeditions from Morgrave University launch this week to explore the

so-called Crab Temple, discovered last month near Stormreach. Which team will be the first to cross the deadly Straits of Shargon, cut through the jungles of the Skyfall Peninsula, and discover the great crab’s secrets?

Character Creation

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

nightmares. This chapter explores how to create a character prepared to face the horrors of Ravenloft, while also forging ties to the haunted pedigrees and grim fates common to the Domains of Dread

adventures. Lineages. Consider an origin that ties you to a grim progenitor or inexplicable experience. Lineages can serve as your character’s race or overshadow your previous race. Dark Gifts. Determine

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