before build defusing concerns readily

Triton Legacy

Species Volo's Guide to Monsters

. The tritons’ limited view of the world leaves them ignorant of the kingdoms, wars, and other struggles of the surface world. Tritons readily see such concerns as minor events, a sideshow to

readily sacrifice themselves for the common good. They will fight and die for humans, merfolk, and other creatures without question. Their self-absorbed nature makes them overlook the history of other

Halfling Legacy

Species Basic Rules (2014)

avoid unwanted attention. Halflings work readily with others, and they are loyal to their friends, whether halfling or otherwise. They can display remarkable ferocity when their friends, families, or

communities are threatened. Pastoral Pleasantries Most halflings live in small, peaceful communities with large farms and well-kept groves. They rarely build kingdoms of their own or even hold much

Human Legacy

Species Basic Rules (2014)

shorter lives that they strive to achieve as much as they can in the years they are given. Or maybe they feel they have something to prove to the elder races, and that’s why they build their mighty

build cities to last for the ages, and great kingdoms that can persist for long centuries. An individual human might have a relatively short life span, but a human nation or culture preserves

Young Moonstone Dragon

Monsters Fizban's Treasury of Dragons

possibilities. (Neutral) 3 Whimsy. Why waste time on boring, ordinary concerns when the world is filled with fantastic and ludicrous wonders? (Chaotic) 4 Beauty. There is beauty to be found

1 A young moonstone dragon on the cusp of adulthood refuses to settle down and build a lair. To protect the local populace from the dragon’s chaotic activities, a minor deity sends a deva

Haughty Nobles

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

the kingdoms, wars, and other struggles of the surface world. Tritons readily see such concerns as minor events, a sideshow to the tritons’ role as the world’s true protectors.

Journey Spread

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

, position, and orientation. You can use The Deck of Many Things card set, tarokka cards, a tarot deck, or any other cards you can readily assign symbolic meanings to. This method works best for a

journey you expect to last at least as many days as you have players. You can improvise encounters, other challenges, and rewards based on cards as they’re revealed, or you can build a small deck in

Encounter Pace and Tension

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

that structure in an adventure where the players control their characters’ actions, but you can use the encounters you plan to build tension toward a climax. Each encounter in an adventure is an

limited resources. Variety also contributes to a sense of escalating tension. Build variety into your encounters in three ways: Vary Encounter Type. Use a mix of social interaction, exploration, and

Small and Practical

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

themselves valuable and welcome. The combination of their inherent stealth and their unassuming nature helps halflings to avoid unwanted attention. Halflings work readily with others, and they are loyal

, peaceful communities with large farms and well-kept groves. They rarely build kingdoms of their own or even hold much land beyond their quiet shires. They typically don’t recognize any sort of halfling

Build Your Group

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

Build Your Group Religious orders attract people from all walks of life. It can be fun to play against type—to make a devout character with the criminal or charlatan background, for example

Sir Baerdren would readily surrender his position, were it not for his distrust of his seneschal, Ofejjaia of Korth. Lady Ofejjaia, it seems, has other issues on her personal agenda besides

Yuan-ti

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

-ti that acts honorably or lends aid in a time of trouble does so only as part of a grander design. Yuan-ti leaders are cunning and ruthless tacticians who readily sacrifice lesser yuan-ti if potential

yuan-ti claiming to be an avatar of Merrshaulk. Speaking with Merrshaulk’s voice, Sseth vowed to pull the yuan-ti out of decline and build a new empire. Many of Merrshaulk’s devout turned to the

Gauntlgrym

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

mine. When they delved too deeply, the dwarves there discovered the presence of a great being of flame, sealed the mines, and left. Only later, when the humans begged the Delzoun dwarves to build one

a dwarven city so close to the coastal powers of Neverwinter and Waterdeep brings about its own special opportunities and concerns. Surely, once they get their forges going properly, the dwarves will

The Revered Queen

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

fit. The Astral Plane would be their home domain, because in that timeless realm they could ignore the need for food, water, and other mundane concerns that plague lesser races. Vlaakith also

Vlaakith: she knows how to build fanatics. But alas, fanatics are good for nothing of lasting consequence. The Bitter Truth In the time since Vlaakith made this promise to her people, she has called

Other Nonplayer Characters

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

distances. But that’s what fills Sechepol’s wagon. He will make his money on the road, selling his stock to his fellow travelers in the caravan. He is diplomatic and has a gift for defusing arguments

. She readily admits that she is traveling to Waterdeep in search of a remedy for her condition. The coloration doesn’t seem to bother her, but she becomes flustered if anyone asks how she came to be

Other Nonplayer Characters

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

long distances. But that’s what fills Sechepol’s wagon. He will make his money on the road, selling his stock to his fellow travelers in the caravan. He is diplomatic and has a gift for defusing

green. She readily admits that she is traveling to Waterdeep in search of a remedy for her condition. The coloration doesn’t seem to bother her, but she becomes flustered if anyone asks how she came to

Using Miniatures

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

easier to run with visual aids, the most common of which are miniatures and a grid. If you like to construct model terrain, build three-dimensional dungeons, or draw maps on large vinyl mats, you

tiles, and terrain made of sculpted plaster or resin are also fun. The most common unit for tactical maps is the 5-foot square, and maps with grids are readily available and easy to create. However, you

Waterdeep

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

mainly the wealthy or influential who can’t count themselves among the nobility. Other structures are taken up by educational or religious concerns that primarily serve the city at large, not the

city. North Ward. Home to many noble villas, townhouses, and a great many inns, North Ward is the neighborhood of the respectably wealthy. Sea Ward. Those whose fortunes are on the rise build their

Guild Membership

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

contacts are — facts that you can build on by working with your DM to add some details. The table entries for contacts are written in the first person, where “I” is your character. You’ll roll twice on the

elves, for example, belong to the Golgari, Selesnya, or Simic guilds, but a majority of goblins are guildless. Loxodons tend to have a strong sense of community, so they readily join guilds. And when

Goblins

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

prevalent among them than in many other races, and Khurgorbaeyag seems to dislike sharing his divine power with his followers. And although many goblins would readily offer anything to have the abilities of

watchdogs to alert them to intruders. Outskirts. The territory around a goblin lair has several hallmarks, most of which aren’t readily apparent. Packs of wolves allied with the goblins serve as effective

Gnome Gods

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

personal concerns to embark on a grand excursion or to work together toward a common goal. And according to the gnomes, it is proven that their gods can accomplish the impossible when they band together

worked together to replace it with a stronger one made of iron, but her resentment over the mishap lingers. Gnomes build their homes in hidden and defensible places because Gaerdal teaches them these

Faerûn

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

untroubled by the concerns of larger nations. They take great pride in their peaceful coexistence with the elves of Cormanthor, and in their ability to remain largely self-sufficient and autonomous even when

demonstrate strange quirks in speech or behavior. The people of Thesk trade readily with any folk, even nearby orcs and goblins that are willing to treat with them peacefully. They aren’t fools, however, and

Locations M - P

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

difficult on even the best of days. The forest is patrolled by wood elves, who defend the woods from poachers. Visitors who leave the inhabitants of the Misty Forest alone, and who build their campfires

buried remains of the tribe’s honored dead. The upper tier is shaped like a sky pony (a pegasus), though the form of this feature is readily apparent only from the air. A round, 15-foot-diameter boulder

The Seldarine

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

. Those who worship Hanali Celanil build shrines in her honor around natural pools of clear spring water — a representation of the purity and power of Evergold. Her priests often surround such an area

, Rillifane takes the appearance of an uncommonly tall and strong wood elf with dark skin, handsome features, and twigs and leaves protruding from his hair. In either guise, his main concerns are the

Locations R - U

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

build other structures in the village, and its cellars and dungeons are waterlogged. A hidden chamber in the dungeon holds a permanent teleportation circle used by the Blackstaff (Waterdeep’s highest

by a griffon-shaped indentation in the earth, the form of which isn’t readily apparent until one takes to the air or climbs to the top of the rocky spire. The stone giants smashed the marble altar to

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