before borders deciding contain risk

Yuan-ti Pureblood Legacy

Species Volo's Guide to Monsters

body, thought, and emotion. Freed from the limitations of their human bodies, the yuan-ti used their new abilities to conquer new lands and expand their borders. One Race, Many Forms The bodies of all

they don’t believe they have a reasonable chance of success. This reaction isn’t out of cowardice, but practicality—yuan-ti value their own lives much too highly to risk them when the

Kobold Legacy

Species Volo's Guide to Monsters

earth are strong or weak, are bearing a load or are safe to excavate, or are likely to contain minerals or offer access to water. This ability enables them to fashion secure homes in places where other

, designed to collapse under the weight of any creature heavier than a kobold. On occasion, the route through a kobold lair runs along a ledge that borders a cavern or a crevasse, and the kobolds might

Archaeologist

Backgrounds Tomb of Annihilation

century old. Suggested Characteristics Few archaeologists can resist the lure of an unexplored ruin or dungeon, particularly if such a site is the source of legends or is rumored to contain

Preservation. That artifact belongs in a museum. (Good) 2 Greed. I won’t risk my life for nothing. I expect some kind of payment. (Any) 3 Death Wish. Nothing is more

Facing Manshoon

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

Facing Manshoon A head-on battle with Manshoon isn’t likely to go well for the characters. That said, the wizard’s greatest weakness is that he has powerful enemies in Waterdeep. The risk of exposure

keeps him hidden, and the characters can thwart him by furnishing his enemies with proof that he’s alive (after a fashion) and operating in Waterdeep. When it comes to Manshoon clones, deciding to

Setting the Adventure

Compendium - Sources->Dungeons & Dragons->Quests from the Infinite Staircase

Setting the Adventure Lost to time and sand, Cynidicea is barely a memory to the lands where it once prospered. When deciding where to place Cynidicea, consider the following suggestions: Dragonlance

. On the world of Ansalon, Southern Ergoth and the Northern Wastesboth contain arid stretches where Cynidicea might have existed. Forgotten Realms. The ruins of Cynidicea might lie among the dunes of

Adult Deep Dragon Legacy

Monsters Fizban's Treasury of Dragons

Personality Traits d8;{"diceNotation":"1d8","rollType":"roll","rollAction":"Trait"} Trait 1 I will not risk injury at the hands of weaker creatures—especially while I can turn

treasures with significant financial or sentimental value to the host dragon are stored away in the protected hoard, these tastefully appointed visitors’ chambers contain lesser treasures from

Orc Legacy

Species Volo's Guide to Monsters

area is at risk. If orcs come upon a target that is too large to assault directly, they will lurk along supply routes, taking out their frustration on caravans and travelers. Left unchecked, a tribe can

everywhere in the world around them, and the priests of a tribe are entrusted with the responsibility of identifying these signs and omens — both good and bad — and deciding how the tribe should

Ancient Deep Dragon Legacy

Monsters Fizban's Treasury of Dragons

Personality Traits d8;{"diceNotation":"1d8","rollType":"roll","rollAction":"Trait"} Trait 1 I will not risk injury at the hands of weaker creatures—especially while I can turn

financial or sentimental value to the host dragon are stored away in the protected hoard, these tastefully appointed visitors’ chambers contain lesser treasures from inaccessible or storied locales

Meeting Atiba-Pa

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

’ ancient traditions are lost forever, and that their loss puts his homeland at risk. Hearing of others’ commitment to reclaiming lost lore acts as a balm for his bleak moods. Personality Trait. “It isn’t

honor to serve my homeland. I will not pass beyond our borders for any reason.” Flaw. “I can’t let them see me when I’m like this. The melancholy in my bones is mine alone to bear.”

Treasure

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

trophies of victory that orcs brandish and boast about when they return to the den. A loot sack might contain something of demonstrable worth or usefulness, something that’s edible (or used to be), or

something that was acquired at great risk. In any case, once the bragging is over, the loot is eaten, put to use, or otherwise disposed of. The Orc Trophies table provides a selection of items that might

Athreos's Influence

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

of the Tartyx River unprepared, though, risk being stranded, as Athreos refuses to ferry those who can’t pay. Athreos is also invoked as the god of passage, as well as the deity with dominion over

borders, boundaries, and that which is “neither.” Those who undertake journeys, especially dangerous ones, often drop a coin into a fountain or a body of water in apotropaic acknowledgment of the River

The Old Wall

Compendium - Sources->Dungeons & Dragons->Baldur's Gate: Descent into Avernus

original relic of the city’s first borders — and, more importantly for daily life, the physical embodiment of the division between patriars and ordinary citizens — the Old Wall is a symbol for much

sparingly, for the risk of discovery is too great to use them routinely. Nevertheless, if the Old Wall were ever to be seriously tested, its defenders might find it far less impenetrable than it seems. GREEN

The Old Wall

Compendium - Sources->Dungeons & Dragons->Baldur’s Gate Gazetteer

original relic of the city’s first borders — and, more importantly for daily life, the physical embodiment of the division between patriars and ordinary citizens — the Old Wall is a symbol for much

sparingly, for the risk of discovery is too great to use them routinely. Nevertheless, if the Old Wall were ever to be seriously tested, its defenders might find it far less impenetrable than it seems. Green

Fortified Outpost

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

surges of lightning, hurl fireballs, or otherwise send devastating munitions at approaching enemies. A basement area is dedicated to storage, including holding cells to contain prisoners of war while they

is said to be haunted by the vengeful spirit of a former commander who was slain by their own troops. 3 A tunnel beneath the outpost leads to a sealed portal to Xoriat. 4 The outpost borders the

Domains

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

haze. Domains share neither borders nor common geography, and you can’t peer from one domain into another. The environments, cultures, and residents of one domain don’t influence those of other domains

. Domains Hold Darklords. Domains exist to contain and torment a villain. Though Darklords exert control over their domains, they are each tormented by a personal terror playing out in their realm

Klothys's Influence

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

insurmountable odds, and Karametra’s taming of nature all run the risk of inspiring ambitious mortals who lust for ever more power and strain to break away from their proper place in the cosmos. Klothys

borders between the realms, as she draws horrors into the mortal realm with her and thereby raises Athreos’s ire. Of course, Klothys trusts no other god as much as she does Kruphix, who also recalls Theros’s earliest hours. The two have a deep respect for one another.

Expert Tunnelers

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

or are safe to excavate, or are likely to contain minerals or offer access to water. This ability enables them to fashion secure homes in places where other creatures wouldn’t feel safe. Kobolds take

heavier than a kobold. On occasion, the route through a kobold lair runs along a ledge that borders a cavern or a crevasse, and the kobolds might erect a railing or a wall that prevents them from

Life in Akharin Sangar

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

Life in Akharin Sangar Despite the rumors outside its borders, Akharin Sangar is markedly hospitable. By long-standing custom, every Sangarian is a potential host and must be prepared to entertain

, though its ranks contain both tender-hearted civil servants and disciplinarians who relish chastising citizens for misdemeanors. Names Sangarian names are drawn from lineage, religion, and literature

2. Captured Troglodytes

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

2. Captured Troglodytes The cracked bones and skulls of small creatures hunted by the troglodytes litter the tunnels leading to this area, marking the borders of territory that once belonged to their

until the item is washed. The stench is not as potent as a troglodyte’s Stench trait and imposes no conditions on those who catch a whiff of it. The drow mage is deciding whether to kill the

Camp Alertness

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

likely to attract suspicion than simply walking in as if they belong in the camp. The chief risk is that someone might recognize the characters from the fighting at Greenest. Have each character make

effect is the same as if they’d been recognized. If characters lie to Mondath — claiming they are new recruits and this is all a mistake, for example, or that they are studying the cult before deciding

Initiative Variants

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

remembering where you are in the list can bog the game down. If you want quicker combats, at the risk of those combats becoming unbalanced, try using the side initiative rule. Under this variant, the

example, a fighter wants to turn a winch to raise a portcullis. This is a complex, difficult action. You could rule that it incurs a -5 initiative penalty. Rolling Initiative. After deciding on an action

Camp Alertness

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

suspicion than simply walking in as if they belong in the camp. Langdedrosa Cyanwrath The chief risk is that someone might recognize the characters from the fighting at Greenest. Have each character make a

as if they’d been recognized. If characters lie to Mondath—claiming they are new recruits and this is all a mistake, for example, or that they are studying the cult before deciding whether to join

People of Akros

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

are divided into three types of duty and armed appropriately for the task before them: Alamon. Rugged forces of wanderers patrol Akros’s borders, defending against invasion or attack by monsters that

background might risk making a pilgrimage into the mountains to hear a flamespeaker’s prophecies. Servants and Serfs Lektoi who complete their military service with honor often retire to the Kolophon

Red Wizards of Thay

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

masters, destroying some of Szass Tam’s lich zulkirs and thinning the ranks of other undead. Little is known of the conflict beyond Thay’s borders, however. In this quiet civil war, both sides fear that

alone, but two or three Red Wizards might join forces for an important assignment. In a public area where their appearance could put them at risk, Red Wizards favor deep hoods and scarves to hide their

Red Wizards of Thay

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

masters, destroying some of Szass Tam’s lich zulkirs and thinning the ranks of other undead. Little is known of the conflict beyond Thay’s borders, however. In this quiet civil war, both sides fear that

alone, but two or three Red Wizards might join forces for an important assignment. In a public area where their appearance could put them at risk, Red Wizards favor deep hoods and scarves to hide their

Red Wizards of Thay

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

undead masters, destroying some of Szass Tam’s lich zulkirs and thinning the ranks of other undead. Little is known of the conflict beyond Thay’s borders, however. In this quiet civil war, both sides

work alone, but two or three Red Wizards might join forces for an important assignment. In a public area where their appearance could put them at risk, Red Wizards favor deep hoods and scarves to hide

High Forest

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

tribes of wood elves — and a few moon elf tribes — still roam the wood protecting these ruins, the monuments to their golden age. Few beyond the borders of the High Forest know much about these elves, who

often goes awry here, and the caverns deep beneath the site are rumored to contain all manner of magical portals. If it isn’t the elves, the fey, or the trees themselves watching visitors, it might be

Greyhawk Conflicts

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

attention. Levels 11–16. Finally, the characters discover an ancient Temple of the Elder Elemental Eye deep beneath the cults’ separate temples, and they strive to contain the damage wrought by the cults

. The characters confront Iuz at the shores of the lake, perhaps facing a terrible choice: Will they wield the power of Vecna to stop Iuz, or will they risk Iuz wielding that awful might against them?

Inspiration

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

Inspiration Awarding inspiration is an effective way to encourage roleplaying and risk-taking. As explained in the Player’s Handbook, having inspiration gives a character an obvious benefit: being

those conventions. Players and Inspiration. Remember that a player with inspiration can award it to another player. Some groups even like to treat inspiration as a group resource, deciding collectively

Demons

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

, even nations embroiled in bitter conflict will set their differences aside to help contain an outbreak of demons, or to seal off abyssal breaches before these fiends can break free. Signs of

. Though demons yearn to sow chaos on the Material Plane, they show no gratitude when brought there, raging against their prisons and demanding release. Those who would risk summoning a demon might do

Dwarves of the Multiverse

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

painfully naive optimists who risk losing their precious works because of their overexposure to the outside world. Dwarves of the Forgotten Realms In an age long since passed into myth, the dwarves of

deity’s influence weakened Bhaerynden and left it vulnerable to the dark elves that threatened its borders. That claim might well be true, but shield dwarf scholars point out that those who abandoned

Daggerford

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

believe themselves more powerful and influential than they truly are, imitating the Lords of Waterdeep by going robed and masked to council meetings. This charade, in the eyes of most, borders on farce, as

Tyndal’s Bridge when approaching from the south. The tannery’s location, up on the hill, does little to contain the stink of the process, and the Watermen’s Guild dumps the city’s waste over the side

Caves of Hunger Locations (H31-H39)

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

inside the wall of ice and partially within some distant, horrific demiplane. As this otherworldly entity peers into the cavern, visitors risk losing their sanity to its influence. Any creature that

gp) is a Netherese art object. H34. City Debris This cave might contain a psychic haunting (see “Psychic Hauntings”). Large pieces of stone jut from the twenty-foot-high ceiling of this empty cavern

1. Jarl's Lodge

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

. Stores These rooms contain supplies that the frost giants have plundered from ships along the Sword Coast, including crates of foodstuffs and barrels of salt, wine, and ale. 1D. Oar Storage Giant

ladder are 5 feet apart. The giants and the wolves fight to the death. If Nilraun is here, he casts spells from behind the throne until his life is at risk, then he flees (see “Development”). Treasure

Ruinous Citadel Locations

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

spider with a woman’s head. The mounds of webbing contain a few corpses of people and driders, savagely torn apart by spyder-fiends and tossed here. If the characters want to disguise themselves to

troops fighting elsewhere, and Jallizanx is deciding how to give directions the dim-witted kakkuus can be reasonably expected to convey. When they see the characters, the kakkuus rush into melee while

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