being birth dark could races

Goliath Legacy

Species Elemental Evil Player's Companion

skills. This dedication to competition has a dark side. Goliaths are ferocious competitors, but above all else they are driven to outdo their past efforts. If a goliath slays a dragon, he or she might

wisdom in their leadership, for they can rarely count on a wisdom grown with age. Goliath Names Every goliath has three names: a birth name assigned by the newborn’s mother and father, a nickname

Human Legacy

Species Basic Rules (2014)

reckonings of most worlds, humans are the youngest of the common races, late to arrive on the world scene and short-lived in comparison to dwarves, elves, and dragons. Perhaps it is because of their

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

The Abbot

Monsters Curse of Strahd

some much-needed light to Barovia. His efforts worked for a while, but then the Dark Powers began to corrupt him. Imperfections. The Abbot's fall from grace started when the Belviews—a family of sickly

present since birth. The Abbot became consumed with a prideful, obsessive desire to rid the poor Belviews of their lingering imperfections. The Belview family, however, had strange ideas of what it

Yuan-ti Pureblood Legacy

Species Volo's Guide to Monsters

; Elminster The serpent creatures known as yuan-ti are all that remains of an ancient, decadent human empire. Ages ago their dark gods taught them profane, cannibalistic rituals to mix their flesh

primordial world heeded the prayers of these people and hissed dark demands into their ears. The people tainted their souls by performing human sacrifices in the name of the gods, debased their flesh by

Noble - Baldur's Gate

Backgrounds Baldur’s Gate: Descent into Avernus

Thanks to your noble birth, people are inclined to think the best of you. You are welcome in high society, and people assume you have the right to be wherever you are. The common folk make every

effort to accommodate you and avoid your displeasure, and other people of high birth treat you as a member of the same social sphere. You can secure an audience with a local noble if you need to. Baldur

Dragonborn Legacy

Species Basic Rules (2014)

to another dragonborn clan before seeking aid from other races—or even from the gods. Dragonborn Names Dragonborn have personal names given at birth, but they put their clan names first as a

give up on something. A dragonborn holds mastery of a particular skill as a lifetime goal. Members of other races who share the same commitment find it easy to earn the respect of a dragonborn. Though

Vedalken

Species Guildmasters’ Guide to Ravnica

feelings about them. To members of other races, vedalken often seem cold, even emotionless. That assessment isn’t fair—they feel emotion every bit as intensely as other folk do, but they are

bioengineering or through extensive study, and others concentrate on perfecting society through the careful drafting and application of laws. Vedalken Names Vedalken are given names at birth, but

Genasi Legacy

Species Elemental Evil Player's Companion

Those who think of other planes at all consider them remote, distant realms, but planar influence can be felt throughout the world. It sometimes manifests in beings who, through an accident of birth

accustomed to a variety of different people. GENASI ON ATHAS Although any world that includes one or more elemental planes can feature genasi, on Athas, the world of the Dark Sun campaign setting

Aasimar Legacy

Species Mordenkainen Presents: Monsters of the Multiverse

dark eyes 3 Starkly colored hair 4 An unusual hue tinting your shadow 5 A ghostly halo crowning your head 6 Rainbows gleaming on your skin Creating Your Character At

violent end on an adventure. Members of some races, such as dwarves and elves, can live for centuries. If typical members of a race can live longer than a century, that fact is mentioned in the race’s

Elf Legacy

Species Basic Rules (2014)

of many other races. They are slightly shorter than humans on average, ranging from well under 5 feet tall to just over 6 feet. They are more slender than humans, weighing only 100 to 145 pounds

enjoy simple yet lovely jewelry. A Timeless Perspective Elves can live well over 700 years, giving them a broad perspective on events that might trouble the shorter-lived races more deeply. They are

Tortle Legacy

Species The Tortle Package

and its siblings inherit whatever tools, weapons, and gifts their parents left behind. Each young tortle is expected to fend for itself. It leaves the place of its birth and finds its own corner of the

set out on their own. Beliefs Tortles don’t have their own pantheon of gods, but they often worship the gods of other races. It’s not unusual for a tortle to hear stories or legends

Goliath Names

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

Goliath Names Every goliath has three names: a birth name assigned by the newborn’s mother and father, a nickname assigned by the tribal chief, and a family or clan name. A birth name is up to three

syllables long. Clan names are five syllables or more and end in a vowel. Birth names are rarely linked to gender. Goliaths see females and males as equal in all things, and they find societies with

Orc Legacy

Species Volo's Guide to Monsters

hatred of the civilized races of the world and their need to satisfy the demands of their deities, the orcs know that if they fight well and bring glory to their tribe, Gruumsh will call them home to

diplomacy. They care only for satisfying their insatiable desire for battle, to smash their foes and appease their gods. Booming Birth Rate In order to replenish the casualties of their endless warring

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

idea of who your Darklord is, what they did, what form their evil takes, and how they came to the attention of the Dark Powers. Flesh out these details, referring back to how the Darklord reflects

Character Creation

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

makes a hero? Is it a quality of birth that sets some mortals above others? Is it a blessing from the gods? Is it a matter of fate, spun out in the strands of a divine tapestry, charting the course of a

hero’s life from miraculous birth to glorious end? If you’re reading this, the answer is that you make a hero, of course. In Theros, player characters and heroes are synonymous, being rare

Half-Elves

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

actual circumstances of their birth. For most folk in Faerûn, the issue isn’t so cut and dried. Half-elves are generally tolerated wherever they go, or wherever they take up residence — with the

proviso that a society that doesn’t look kindly on elves or humans is likely to feel the same way about someone who has the blood of both races. Conversely, a society that holds humans or elves in high

Human

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

Human The most numerous of Theros’s mortal races, humans embody the mortal will to carve out a place for civilization from the wilds. Although other, smaller settlements exist, the majority of humans

from one another. Some attach their place of birth or residence to their own names. A merchant from Meletis named Brigone, for example, would be Brigone of Meletis. Others link their name to their trade

Genasi Names

Compendium - Sources->Dungeons & Dragons->Princes of the Apocalypse

. GENASI ON ATHAS Although any world that includes one or more elemental planes can feature genasi, on Athas, the world of the Dark Sun campaign setting, elemental forces hold greater sway than they do

on other worlds. As a people touched by elemental power, genasi are viewed as seers, prophets, and chosen ones. The birth of a genasi, whether a slave, a noble, or a member of a desert tribe, is an auspicious event. Most Athasians believe a given genasi is destined for greatness — or infamy.

Barovians and Nonhumans

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

Barovians and Nonhumans Barovians are human. Although they know that dwarves, elves, halflings and other civilized races exist, few living Barovians have seen such “creatures,” let alone interacted

with them. Aside from the secretive dusk elves of Vallaki (see chapter 5), the only nonhumans most Barovians are familiar with are the adventurers that Strahd has lured to his dark realm. Barovians

Worlds of Adventure

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

villains. Some races have unusual traits in different worlds. The halflings of the Dark Sun setting, for example, are jungle-dwelling cannibals, and the elves are desert nomads. Some worlds feature races

have been published as official settings for the D&D game. The legends of the Forgotten Realms, Dragonlance, Greyhawk, Dark Sun, Mystara, and Eberron settings are woven together in the fabric of the

Worlds of Adventure

Compendium - Sources->Dungeons & Dragons->Basic Rules (2014)

villains. Some races have unusual traits in different worlds. The halflings of the Dark Sun setting, for example, are jungle-dwelling cannibals, and the elves are desert nomads. Some worlds feature races

have been published as official settings for the D&D game. The legends of the Forgotten Realms, Dragonlance, Greyhawk, Dark Sun, Mystara, and Eberron settings are woven together in the fabric of the

Piwafwi (Cloak of Elvenkind)

Compendium - Sources->Dungeons & Dragons->Out of the Abyss

Piwafwi (Cloak of Elvenkind) Wondrous item, uncommon (requires attunement) This dark spider-silk cloak is made by drow. It is a cloak of elvenkind (see chapter 7, “Treasure,” of the Dungeon Master’s

Guide). It loses its magic if exposed to sunlight for 1 hour without interruption. DROWCRAFT ITEMS Magic items crafted by the drow — and often other races of the Underdark — use components and

Deep Gnomes (Svirfneblin)

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

grandest deep gnome strongholds, which existed for more than two thousand years until it was overrun a little more than a century ago by the dark elves of Menzoberranzan. The deep gnomes recently reclaimed

their old home, and now struggle to rid it of malign influences that have crept into the tunnels and warrens in their absence. Deep gnomes are lean with dark, earthen skin tones of gray. Males are bald

Tragic Flaws

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

flaw can also be supernatural in nature. A hermit who harbors “dark, bloodthirsty thoughts that my isolation and meditation failed to quell” might have a sinister connection to the vicious god Mogis

. NATAL OMENS The birth of a hero is often accompanied by signs in Nyx and Theros alike. You can use the Omens table in chapter 4 to randomly determine an omen that appeared when you were born. It’s up to you and your DM to determine the omen’s meaning.

The Carnival

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

The Carnival Wandering Domain of Wonders Darklord: Nepenthe Genres: Body horror and dark fantasy Hallmarks: Entertainment, fey bargains, misfits, wandering exiles Mist Talismans: Carnival flier

. Visibly marked as outsiders by birth, circumstance, intention, or talent, the Carnival’s troupers trade their unique performances for coin and whatever else they need to survive. Although these

Hag Names

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

Hag Names Hags have whimsical names, often with a dark twist. A hag gives her newborn daughter a name that the girl keeps during her childhood, but upon gaining her full hag powers the daughter

chooses her own name, which might or might not relate to her birth name. Some hags use different names in different guises, but still prefer their original name as their favorite. The Hag Names table

Chapter 1: Prisoners of the Drow

Compendium - Sources->Dungeons & Dragons->Out of the Abyss

races and creatures too numerous to count or list, and foremost among these are the dark elves — the drow. Hated and feared even by their fellow dwellers in darkness, the drow raid other settlements

entertainment in the dark elves’ subterranean cities. The adventurers have all had the misfortune of falling to such a fate. Captured by the drow, they are prisoners at one of the dark elves’ outposts

The True Threat

Compendium - Sources->Dungeons & Dragons->Ghosts of Saltmarsh

aquatic races. The lizardfolk’s main purpose is to form an army to expel the sahuagin from the area. In so doing, they hope to discourage the sahuagin from ever again intruding on the region. The

lizardfolk have not approached Saltmarsh with an offer to join the alliance because Othokent, their queen, considers humans and other land-dwelling races as of little use in a battle to be fought largely

Self-Sufficient Clans

Compendium - Sources->Dungeons & Dragons->Basic Rules (2014)

to fail, and they push themselves to extreme efforts before they give up on something. A dragonborn holds mastery of a particular skill as a lifetime goal. Members of other races who share the same

for such help is the clan, and when a clan needs help, it turns to another dragonborn clan before seeking aid from other races — or even from the gods. DRACONIANS In the Dragonlance setting, the

Uncertain Origins

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

dragonborn serve, at least according to the dragonborn’s former masters. Another legend asserts that Io created the dragons at the birth of the world, but dragonborn did not yet exist. Then, during the

other humanoid races, which were pale imitations of dragonborn perfection. Io shaped the dragonborn and fired them with his breath, then spilled his own blood to give them life. The first dragonborn

Gatekeepers

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

the orcs of the region. In her studies of the Prophecy, Vvaraak had foreseen a great threat that could be stopped only by the younger races. So she taught the orcs the secret language of the natural

, the Gatekeepers have shared Vvaraak’s wisdom and druidic magic with humans, shifters, and others who came to Khorvaire. New interpretations of Vvaraak’s teachings gave birth to new druid sects: the

Seven Secrets of Ravenloft

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

Dark Powers Control All. Sinister entities known as the Dark Powers manipulate the Domains of Dread and all who dwell within. Immortal, unknowable, and omnipotent, the Dark Powers revel in sowing

serve as the prisons of Darklords, villainous beings trapped and tormented by the Dark Powers. The specifics of each domain exist to ironically twist its Darklord’s desires, capturing them and their

Young Race, Old Roots

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

significant populations of half-elves. It is only in the past thousand years or so, as the races have intermingled more and more, that the number of half-elves has increased so that they are now found

conquered by the dark elves years ago, and in the Underdark, where House Ousstyl of Menzoberranzan is particularly infamous for having mated with humans.

Diseases

Compendium - Sources->Dungeons & Dragons->Basic Rules (2014)

wasting illness. A warlock offends some dark power and contracts a strange affliction that spreads whenever he casts spells. A simple outbreak might amount to little more than a small drain on party

might affect only constructs or undead, or sweep through a halfling neighborhood but leave other races untouched. What matters is the story you want to tell.

Nonhuman Deities

Compendium - Sources->Dungeons & Dragons->Basic Rules (2014)

Nonhuman Deities Certain gods closely associated with nonhuman races are revered on many different worlds, though not always in the same way. The nonhuman races of the Forgotten Realms and Greyhawk

share these deities. Nonhuman races often have whole pantheons of their own. Besides Moradin, for example, the dwarf gods include Moradin’s wife, Berronar Truesilver, and a number of other gods thought

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