being back drives core reason

Incarnation of Transience

Monsters Lorwyn: First Light

spectral existence in material reality. Each incarnation resembles a saurian behemoth with an axolotl face, a many-frilled tail, and a hulking back covered in bright-orange pustules. In Lorwyn

retains its core identity but might transform physically. An incarnation of hope in Lorwyn, for example, might resemble a giant dove with a lizard’s tail and leonine legs; in Shadowmoor, this same

Caradoc

Monsters Dragonlance: Shadow of the Dragon Queen

’s swiftly pulled back if caught beyond its walls without a host. Personality Trait. “I might be dead, but there’s no reason I can’t live it up a little.” Ideal. &ldquo

at his core, the seneschal didn’t return as a skeletal knight but rather as an intangible spirit. Caradoc’s Undead form suits him well, allowing him to possess the living and use unwilling

Quasit (familiar variant) Legacy

Monsters Monster Manual (2014)

Shapechanger. The quasit can use its action to polymorph into a beast form that resembles a bat (speed 10 ft. fly 40 ft.), a centipede (40 ft., climb 40 ft.), or a toad (40 ft., swim 40 ft.), or back

shares the quasit’s Magic Resistance trait. At any time and for any reason, the quasit can end its service as a familiar, ending the telepathic bond.Claws (Bite in Beast Form). Melee Weapon Attack

Yeth Hound

Monsters Mordenkainen Presents: Monsters of the Multiverse

hunting dogs. They race in pursuit of their prey, running it down until it’s too exhausted to fight back. Only the threat of dawn drives the pack back into hiding. A pack of yeth hounds can be

run and torment them before closing in for the kill. Those that fight back discover that mundane weapons partially pass through yeth hounds as if they were made of fog, but magic weapons and silvered

Ulder Ravengard

Monsters Baldur’s Gate: Descent into Avernus

. Following the deaths of two council members amid a cloud of corruption and scandal, he persuaded the Parliament of Peers to back his election to grand duke. Upon ascending to the highest position in the

struggled in performing his duties, finding his hands tied at every turn by both overt and invisible bureaucracy. Despite this, he's been a voice of reason and common sense on the Council of Four — if

Ideals Legacy

Rules

core belief system. Ideals might answer any of these questions: What are the principles that you will never betray? What would prompt you to make sacrifices? What drives you to act and guides your goals and ambitions? What is the single most important thing you strive for?

Crab Folk

Monsters Mordenkainen's Fiendish Folio Volume 1

spell gave the crab folk an insatiable love for silver. When they see it, all crab folk feel an irresistible urge to seize it and carry it back to their lairs. If necessary, they resort to violence to

crab folk have little sense of what drives them, but they understand that the effigy represents a mother and creator who must be obeyed. Legend holds that the green hag preferred to travel in the

Gauth

Monsters Mordenkainen Presents: Monsters of the Multiverse

can survive on meat but prefers to sustain itself with power drained from magic objects. If starved of magic for several weeks, it is forced back to its home plane, so it constantly seeks new items

magic items it is expected to guard. A beholder (see the Monster Manual) usually drives away or kills any gauths that enter its territory, but it might choose to force them to serve it as lieutenants

Lizardfolk Legacy

Species Volo's Guide to Monsters

plans, or cultivating other methods to progress beyond their simple existence as hunters and gatherers. Hapless Soft Ones At their core, lizardfolk view other humanoids with an indifference verging on

quirk for a lizardfolk character or to inspire a unique mannerism. Lizardfolk Quirks d8 Quirk 1 You hate waste and see no reason not to scavenge fallen enemies. Fingers are tasty and

Criminal / Spy Legacy

Backgrounds Basic Rules (2014)

sold the secrets you uncovered to the highest bidder. Suggested Characteristics Criminals might seem like villains on the surface, and many of them are villainous to the core. But some have an

important was taken from me, and I aim to steal it back. 4 I will become the greatest thief that ever lived. 5 I’m guilty of a terrible crime. I hope I can redeem myself for it. 6

Kasimir Velikov

Monsters Curse of Strahd

led her down a path of evil and deceit. For that reason, Kasimir wants to see the vampire destroyed so that his sister can be rescued from her eternal damnation. Secrets of the Amber Temple. Patrina

more important, he believes that the Amber Temple holds the secret to bringing the ancient dead back to life. With the characters' help, Kasimir thinks he might be able to find out how to restore

Demilich (Variant) Legacy

Monsters Monster Manual (2014)

assume a wraithlike form. The skull then emits a terrifying howl that can slay the weak-hearted and leave others trembling with fear. Left alone, it sinks back down and returns to the empty peace of

its existence. Few liches seek to become demiliches, for it means an end to the existence they hoped to preserve by becoming undead. However, time can erode the lich’s reason and memory, causing

Kenku Legacy

Species Volo's Guide to Monsters

at the burned-out building, a sudden cacophony erupted around us. Birds squawked, cats hissed, and dogs growled. Lidda hustled us back to the city’s safer avenues. Only when we were back within

. The kenku lack the talent to improvise or alter a plan, but a wise Master sets multiple plans in motion at once, confident that underlings can follow orders to the letter. For this reason, many

Criminal - Baldur's Gate

Backgrounds Baldur’s Gate: Descent into Avernus

realizing the connection. You got the Guild to back off demands for your death by offering to make amends by working for the criminals, but even so the kingpin still plots a personal revenge. 2 The

work, do what needs to be done, and get paid. Anyone who pursues crime for thrill-seeking, to strike back at unjust authorities, or anything else are amateurs, and they’re liable to get you

Rak Tulkhesh

Monsters Eberron: Rising from the Last War

Tulkhesh magically polymorphs into a humanoid, beast, or giant that has a challenge rating no higher than his own, or back into his true form. He reverts to his true form if he dies. Any equipment he

impulses that drives many mortals to battle. Fear, greed, hatred — these are seeds that the Rage of War sows in the hopes of producing a bloody harvest. Rak Tulkhesh typically takes the form of a vaguely

Aarakocra Legacy

Species Elemental Evil Player's Companion

back into the air. Those that make it to a world in the Material Plane find it a strange place. They sometimes forget or ignore vertical distances, and they have nothing but pity for those earthbound

it hard not to pluck the treasure and bring it back to their settlement to beautify it. An aarakocra who spends years among other races can learn to inhibit these impulses. Confinement terrifies the

Bugbear Legacy

Species Volo's Guide to Monsters

indolence offers no clue to how vicious the creatures are. Bugbears are capable of bouts of incredible ferocity, using their muscular bodies to exact swift and ruthless violence. At their core

in the presence of Skiggaret. Talking about such acts might call him back. Blessings of the Bugbear Gods Bugbears have no use for priests or shamans. No one needs to tell them what their gods want

Tabaxi Legacy

Species Volo's Guide to Monsters

We had a tabaxi come through once, a few winters back. She kept the taproom packed each night with her stories and spent most days napping in a chair in front of the fireplace. We thought she was

its secrets and nature have been laid bare. Tinkers and Minstrels Curiosity drives most of the tabaxi found outside their homeland, but not all of them become adventurers. Tabaxi who seek a safer

Morkoth

Monsters Mordenkainen Presents: Monsters of the Multiverse

;s petrified flesh came back to life as morkoths: tentacled monstrosities brimming with malice and greed. Morkoths are driven by greed and selfishness mixed with a yearning for conflict. They hoard

fragments that make up the island’s core are also located. Sections of the lair and its center might be kept dry to better protect and preserve collected objects and creatures, but most of the lair

Claugiyliamatar

Monsters Storm King's Thunder

with a mangled corpse hanging from her mouth. Other dragons rarely remain in Kryptgarden Forest for long, because Claugiyliamatar drives them out. Claugiyliamatar rarely meddles in the affairs of small

of wall has AC 5, 15 hit points, vulnerability to fire damage, resistance to bludgeoning and piercing damage, and immunity to psychic damage. The wall sinks back into the ground when the dragon uses

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

Unspeakable Horror (Malleable Mass)

Monsters Van Richten’s Guide to Ravenloft

vaporous visions amid the fog, mysterious eddies in the Mists sometimes gather such evils, forcing them into unique, misshapen bodies untethered from the laws of reason or reality. Such unspeakable

can’t persist for long outside the Mists: after 1d4;{"diceNotation":"1d4","rollType":"roll","rollAction":"Mist Horror"} rounds outside the Mists, they lose cohesion and collapse back into

Unspeakable Horror

Monsters Van Richten’s Guide to Ravenloft

into unique, misshapen bodies untethered from the laws of reason or reality. Such unspeakable horrors might continue to haunt the misty netherworld between the Domains of Dread, or they might slink

","rollAction":"Mist Horror"} rounds outside the Mists, they lose cohesion and collapse back into harmless vapor. Body Composition d4;{"diceNotation":"1d4","rollType":"roll","rollAction":"Body

Orc Legacy

Species Volo's Guide to Monsters

raid just as another group returns, laden with severed heads, sacks of loot, and armfuls of food. Warriors also serve as scouts, bringing back detailed reports about the surrounding area so that the

haul as much food and booty as possible back to the tribe’s den, every tribe has a sturdy war wagon. Since orcs are poor crafters, most of their wagons are stolen from human or dwarven

Claugiyliamatar (possessed)

Monsters Divine Contention

Claugiyliamatar drives them out. Claugiyliamatar rarely meddles in the affairs of small folk. Even so, her collection of crystal balls allows her to stay abreast of events happening in the world. Ebondeath

, resistance to bludgeoning and piercing damage, and immunity to psychic damage. The wall sinks back into the ground when the dragon uses this lair action again or when the dragon dies. Magical fog billows

Unspeakable Horror (Loathsome Limbs)

Monsters Van Richten’s Guide to Ravenloft

eddies in the Mists sometimes gather such evils, forcing them into unique, misshapen bodies untethered from the laws of reason or reality. Such unspeakable horrors might continue to haunt the misty

Mists: after 1d4;{"diceNotation":"1d4","rollType":"roll","rollAction":"Mist Horror"} rounds outside the Mists, they lose cohesion and collapse back into harmless vapor. Body Composition d4

Unspeakable Horror (Oozing Organs)

Monsters Van Richten’s Guide to Ravenloft

, forcing them into unique, misshapen bodies untethered from the laws of reason or reality. Such unspeakable horrors might continue to haunt the misty netherworld between the Domains of Dread, or they

":"roll","rollAction":"Mist Horror"} rounds outside the Mists, they lose cohesion and collapse back into harmless vapor. Body Composition d4;{"diceNotation":"1d4","rollType":"roll","rollAction

Unspeakable Horror (Aberrant Armor)

Monsters Van Richten’s Guide to Ravenloft

unique, misshapen bodies untethered from the laws of reason or reality. Such unspeakable horrors might continue to haunt the misty netherworld between the Domains of Dread, or they might slink forth into

":"Mist Horror"} rounds outside the Mists, they lose cohesion and collapse back into harmless vapor. Body Composition d4;{"diceNotation":"1d4","rollType":"roll","rollAction":"Body Composition

Chapter 4: Escape From the Past

Compendium - Sources->Dungeons & Dragons->Netheril’s Fall: Tales of Terror, Treasure, and Time Travel

Chapter 4: Escape From the Past Chapter 4 Escape From the Past SAMUEL PERIN The cosmos-shaking magic of Karsus’s Folly drives a caldron magen into a violent frenzy Experimentation with temporal

period in the Forgotten Realms or beyond into ancient Netheril, where they can adventure before discovering a way back home.

Elemental Engines

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

the airship’s pilot, the elemental core can be suppressed, causing the elemental energy to disappear and flow back into the Khyber dragonshard core. An airship’s elemental core and connecting arcane

Elemental Engines Airships are powered by an elemental spirit bound to a core carved from a Khyber dragonshard. This core is placed into a heavily fortified containment chamber connected to an arcane

Gnomes

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

Gnomes And then the whole thing exploded into a million jillion pieces! [gasp] I never saw anything like it in my life! — Griballix, gnome of Sigil Love of discovery is the force that drives the

life of a gnome, whether one is investigating the nature of magic or trying to invent a better back scratcher. Questions about the world fill a gnome’s head: how an insect flies, a fish swims, or a

Aftermath

Compendium - Sources->Dungeons & Dragons->Infernal Machine Rebuild

the party down to demand a duel by combat. He explains what the characters have really done, and offers to lead the characters back to the woods to right their wrongs if they can be persuaded to. If

the characters defeat the hags, Banrion returns to prominence and drives the rest of the wicked fey out of the woods. Before the characters depart, she asks them to once more use the panel at the clock

Personal Characteristics

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

your core belief system. Ideals might answer any of these questions: What are the principles that you will never betray? What would prompt you to make sacrifices? What drives you to act and guides

related to each. Either one could be positive or negative: you might work hard to overcome a low score, for example, or be cocky about your high score. Ideals Describe one ideal that drives your

Stage 3

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

for revenge against the exiles. The Red Wizards of Thay are evil to the core, though, and the delegates must tread carefully as they present their case. The Cult Strikes Back (Part 3) The Cult of the

infiltrate a cult stronghold and claim the mask, then save a nearby village from the blue dragon that means to take the relic back. Mission to Thay The ritual that will bring Tiamat to Faerûn is too complex

Gravity Planes

Compendium - Sources->Dungeons & Dragons->Spelljammer: Adventures in Space->Astral Adventurer’s Guide

Gravity Planes The reason everything pulls its own atmosphere along through space is the force of gravity. It’s also the reason why creatures can stand on a spacefaring ship without falling off the

gravity plane is that an object that falls off the side of a ship can end up oscillating back and forth across the gravity plane. It drops in one direction until it crosses the plane, then reverses direction back toward the plane again, continuing until something causes it to stop.

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