being before dread creating related

Creating Domains of Dread

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

Creating Domains of Dread Ravenloft is a place where your nightmares can run wild, where anything you can imagine in moments of dread or despair can come to frightful life among the Mists. The

setting as a whole is made up of countless isolated domains, each one a perfect expression of a particular flavor of the macabre. Creating your own domain allows you to blend legendary evils, unexpected

Karas Chembryl

Monsters Forgotten Realms: Adventures in Faerûn

Dead Three into the region she inhabits, creating the following effects: Creeping Dread. Terror runs rampant in Karas’s domain. Within 1 mile of the lair, creatures other than members of the

instead.Multiattack. Karas makes two attacks using Dread Dagger or Tyrant’s Blade in any combination. Dread Dagger. Melee or Ranged Attack Roll: +8;{"diceNotation":"1d20+8", "rollType":"to hit

Hexblood

Species Van Richten’s Guide to Ravenloft

creating a hexblood, consult with your DM to see if it’s appropriate to tie your origins to one of the following Domains of Dread (detailed in chapter 3): Hazlan. The bizarre magic of this crumbling

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

Creating a Domain

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

Creating a Domain The guidelines in this section help you create your own unique Domain of Dread. This setting’s details should reflect the Darklord of the domain, being a reflection of that

Creating a Darklord

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

Creating a Darklord Domains are mocking reflections of the evils they confine. Each has a purpose, being a prison designed to torture a deliberately chosen villain. To devise a Domain of Dread, you

Birth of a Darklord

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

Birth of a Darklord Upon the completion of the Darklord’s greatest irredeemable act, the Mists drag them—and perhaps the lands around them—into the Domains of Dread. At this point, you should have an

your players’ characters and the section on creating nonplayer characters in the Dungeon Master’s Guide as you desire. Now, everything the Darklord knew changes and they find themself a prisoner within a domain of their own.

Reborn

Species Van Richten’s Guide to Ravenloft

itchy straw stuffing inside you. Reborn in the Domains of Dread When creating a reborn, consult with your DM to see if it’s appropriate to tie your origins to one of the following Domains

of Dread (detailed in chapter 3): Har’Akir. You died and endured the burial rites of this desert realm, yet somehow a soul—yours or another’s—has taken refuge in your

Dhampir

Species Van Richten’s Guide to Ravenloft

changed your body, making you reliant on others for vital fluids. Dhampirs in the Domains of Dread When creating a dhampir, ask your DM if it makes sense for your character to have ties to

one of the following Domains of Dread (detailed in chapter 3): Barovia. In the shadow of Castle Ravenloft, tales flourish of those who love or descend from vampires. You might have such a connection

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

domain often includes sights, sounds, and smells that serve as constant painful reminders of the Darklord’s wicked past. To start creating your domain, choose three of the evil acts your Darklord

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

Effects The region around the Unborn Palanquin is warped by its presence, creating the following effects: Cranial Discomfort. Creatures that spend more than 24 hours within 1 mile of the palanquin

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

subsequent to character creation. Creating Your Character At 1st level, you choose whether your character is a member of the human race or of one of the game’s fantastical races. Alternatively, you

Klauth

Monsters Storm King's Thunder

;s dread overlord, the red wyrm Klauth. Scattered here and there are the crushed or charred bones of powerful adventurers and entire orc hordes that dared to enter the valley. “Old Snarl,&rdquo

of abandoned mines and dwarven strongholds. Caves with volcanic or geothermal activity are the most highly prized red dragon lairs, creating hazards that hinder intruders and letting searing heat and

Fighter Legacy

Classes Basic Rules (2014)

left behind. There are greater risks, perhaps, but also much greater rewards—few fighters in the city watch have the opportunity to discover a magic flame tongue sword, for example. Creating a

Fighter As you build your fighter, think about two related elements of your character’s background: Where did you get your combat training, and what set you apart from the mundane warriors

Goliath Legacy

Species Mordenkainen Presents: Monsters of the Multiverse

The first goliaths lived on the highest mountain peaks—far above the tree line, where the air is thin and frigid winds howl. Distantly related to giants and infused with the supernatural

essence of their ancestors’ mountainous home, goliaths stand between 7 and 8 feet tall and have a wide array of skin tones resembling different types of stone. Creating Your Character At 1st level

Orcus Legacy

Monsters Out of the Abyss

, emulating their dread master. Orcus is a bestial creature of corruption with a diseased, decaying look. He has the lower torso of a goat, and a humanoid upper body with a corpulent belly swollen with rot

disappear or until Orcus releases their grasp (no action required). Regional Effects The region containing Orcus’s lair is warped by the Orcus’s magic, creating one or more of the following

Orcus

Monsters Mordenkainen Presents: Monsters of the Multiverse

the dead, emulating their dread master. Orcus is a bestial creature of corruption with a diseased, decaying look. He has the lower body of a goat and a humanlike upper body with a belly swollen with

Monster Manual). These Undead obey his telepathic commands, which can reach anywhere in the lair. Regional Effects The region containing Orcus’s lair is warped by his magic, creating one or more

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

. Creating a Cleric As you create a cleric, the most important question to consider is which deity to serve and what principles you want your character to embody. The Gods of the Multiverse section

Monk Legacy

Classes Basic Rules (2014)

mission than merely slaying monsters and plundering their treasure. Creating a Monk As you make your monk character, think about your connection to the monastery where you learned your skills and spent

important mission beyond the cloister? Perhaps you were cast out because of some violation of the community’s rules. Did you dread leaving, or were you happy to go? Is there something you hope to

Featured Domains

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

Featured Domains The following sections explore some of the most notorious Domains of Dread. Each of these realms is a setting unto itself and might host adventures of your design. These featured

domains share the following format: Overview. Each domain has a brief overview with its Darklord’s name, the horror genres that inspire it (explored in chapter 2), distinctive hallmarks, and related Mist

White Plume Mountain

Compendium - Sources->Dungeons & Dragons->Tales from the Yawning Portal

White Plume Mountain Lawrence Schick, the author of White Plume Mountain, related in the 2013 compilation Dungeons of Dread that he wrote the adventure as a way of persuading Gary Gygax to hire him

Soldier - Baldur's Gate

Backgrounds Baldur’s Gate: Descent into Avernus

Fist or the Watch. If you do, you have responsibilities related to your post. For as long as you perform these responsibilities, you gain benefits. If you stop performing your responsibilities, though

soldiers, shaping their ideals, creating strong bonds, and often leaving them scarred and vulnerable to fear, shame, and hatred. d8 Personality Trait 1 I’m always polite and

Domains

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

storm, so do domains create inescapable spaces where horror adventures unfold. Domains Are Themed. Each domain reflects its Darklord and facilitates horror tales related to that villain. Just as

the most notorious Domains of Dread. CULTIVATING HOPE In Ravenloft, the Dark Powers control reality, the Mists foil escape attempts, and terrifying Darklords can appear at any moment. What hope do

Dhampirs in the Domains of Dread

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

Dhampirs in the Domains of Dread When creating a dhampir, ask your DM if it makes sense for your character to have ties to one of the following Domains of Dread (detailed in chapter 3): Barovia. In

the shadow of Castle Ravenloft, tales flourish of those who love or descend from vampires. You might have such a connection, but dread what would happen if others in your insular community found out

Dread Warrior

Compendium - Sources->Dungeons & Dragons->Tales from the Yawning Portal

warrior is further enchanted so that a Red Wizard can employ the creature in the fashion of a spellcaster’s familiar. By creating a psychic link with a dread warrior, a Red Wizard can experience the world

Dread Warrior The Red Wizards (Dead in Thay) make use of several kinds of undead minions, including the special servants known as dread warriors. After being created by a secret ritual, a dread

Reborn in the Domains of Dread

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

Reborn in the Domains of Dread When creating a reborn, consult with your DM to see if it’s appropriate to tie your origins to one of the following Domains of Dread (detailed in chapter 3): Har’Akir

Other Domains of Dread

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

of additional domains that make up the Domains of Dread. Detail and explore these domains in your adventures as you please, or use them as examples when creating your own domains using the guidance in

Other Domains of Dread The Land of the Mists comprise more than the domains presented in this chapter thus far. Countless domains drift through the Mists. The following lands hint at the multitudes

Horror Adventures

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

Horror Adventures Creating your own horror adventures is like crafting any other D&D adventure with one exception: your goal is to horrify your players in the most fun way possible. Frightening

adventures benefit from an atmosphere of dread, conceived through a combination of terrifying narratives, dramatic presentation, and game elements encouraging fear. Drawing out the anxiety and anticipation

Hexbloods in the Domains of Dread

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

Hexbloods in the Domains of Dread When creating a hexblood, consult with your DM to see if it’s appropriate to tie your origins to one of the following Domains of Dread (detailed in chapter 3

Paladin Legacy

Classes Basic Rules (2014)

, and even the smallest victory against it can tilt the cosmic balance away from oblivion. Creating a Paladin The most important aspect of a paladin character is the nature of his or her holy quest

. Although the class features related to your oath don’t appear until you reach 3rd level, plan ahead for that choice by reading the oath descriptions at the end of the class. Are you a devoted

Other Horror Genres

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

Other Horror Genres In addition to the aforementioned terrors, consider exploring any of the following horror genres when creating adventures in the Domains of Dread. Beyond these, there are dozens

The Mists

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

The Mists Known throughout Ravenloft, the Mists are manifestations of the Dark Powers’ will. They divide, surround, and isolate every domain, creating fog-shrouded borders that imprison Darklords

within their territories. The Mists slip through the Domains of Dread, rising to claim unwitting travelers or releasing terrors upon unsuspecting villagers. Most infamously, the Mists slither into other

Godefroy's Torment

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

escaping his undead existence. However, he can’t grasp even its basic workings and is frustrated by every delay and malfunction related to the device. FOUNDATIONS OF HORROR Three years after the 1983

book. With the House on Gryphon Hill, Barovia and Mordent paved the way for Ravenloft to become a vast and varied setting encompassing dozens of Domains of Dread.

Creating a Dragonmarked Character

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

Creating a Dragonmarked Character Dragonmarks are associated with race, depicted by a combination of variant races and subraces. For humans and half-orcs, a dragonmark is a variant race that replaces

elf. There is another option related to dragonmarks if your group uses feats: the Aberrant Dragonmark feat grants potentially dangerous magical abilities. Aberrant dragonmarks aren’t tied to the dragonmark houses and can be taken by a character of any race.

Using This Book

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

Using This Book This book explores the Domains of Dread, the mysterious expanses of the Shadowfell that serve as backdrops for excitement and terror. It guides players and Dungeon Masters through the

process of creating characters, domains, and stories ripe for chilling D&D adventures. Chapter 1 details how players can create characters primed for fright-filled adventures. It presents options for

D&D Beyond

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