better born diffusing concerns reason

Jarund Elkhardt

Monsters Icewind Dale: Rime of the Frostmaiden

in battle. The strain of his long years of rule is etched on his weather-worn face. Jarund's late son, Jarund Twice-Born, was killed almost a decade ago while trying to bring down a cave bear, leaving

Jarund without an heir. He has failed to produce another child with his wife, Wynneth, and his mistress, Froya, so the future of his royal line remains uncertain. Auril's unyielding winter concerns

The Fathomless

Classes Tasha’s Cauldron of Everything

learn about terrestrial realms, or does it want you to open cosmic floodgates and drown the world? Perhaps you were born into a generational cult that venerates the Fathomless and its spawn. Or you

might have been shipwrecked and on the brink of drowning when your patron’s grasp offered you a chance at life. Whatever the reason for your pact, the sea and its unknown depths call to you

Ulder Ravengard

Monsters Baldur’s Gate: Descent into Avernus

care less about his popularity. His only concerns are the stability and prosperity of Baldur's Gate, and he doesn't trust any of the other dukes or anyone in the Parliament of Peers to put the city's

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

Vertebrae Sword

Equipment

The jagged vertebrae sword of a fishfolk warrior can barely be called a sword. Locals would say it’s better described as a makeshift weapon crafted from a fish skeleton and sea trash. Its poor

construction is the reason it’s not often a weapon seen on land, though when used by a skilled fighter, it most certainly can be a formidable tool. When you successfully hit a creature with a

The Fathomless (TCoE)

Classes Tasha’s Cauldron of Everything

learn about terrestrial realms, or does it want you to open cosmic floodgates and drown the world? Perhaps you were born into a generational cult that venerates the Fathomless and its spawn. Or you

might have been shipwrecked and on the brink of drowning when your patron’s grasp offered you a chance at life. Whatever the reason for your pact, the sea and its unknown depths call to you

Alustriel Silverhand

Monsters Vecna: Eve of Ruin

gives no hint of her supernaturally extended life span. She typically wears long robes and wields a unicorn-headed staff, her Staff of Silverymoon. Personality Alustriel’s primary concerns

Alustriel and her deeds better known than in the Silver Marches and its capital, Silverymoon. Alustriel ruled Silverymoon for centuries, once disguised as a wizard named Elué Dualen and then later

Charlatan Legacy

Backgrounds Player’s Handbook (2014)

a born gambler who can’t resist taking a risk for a potential payoff. 5 I lie about almost everything, even when there’s no good reason to. 6 Sarcasm and insults are my

there, I have a child who doesn’t know me. I’m making the world better for him or her. 4 I come from a noble family, and one day I’ll reclaim my lands and title from those who

Lizardfolk Legacy

Species Volo's Guide to Monsters

pity. Born into the world lacking stout scales and sharp teeth, it’s a wonder they have managed to survive for so long. The typical human would barely make it through a day in the swamps. Still

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

Far Traveler

Backgrounds Sword Coast Adventurer's Guide

few miles from where they were born. You aren’t one of those folk. You are from a distant place, one so remote that few of the common folk in the North realize that it exists, and chances are

provided. The following section, discussing possible homelands, includes some suggested reasons that are appropriate for each location. d6 Reason d6 Reason 1 Emissary 4 Pilgrim

Minotaur Legacy

Species Guildmasters’ Guide to Ravnica

fur extend down minotaurs’ necks and powerful backs, and males have long tufts of hair on their chins and cheeks. Their legs end in heavy, cloven hooves. Minotaurs are born with long, tufted

, are much better known and respected. Boros minotaurs choose the precision of the legion over the fury of the pack. Minotaurs tend to vent their outrage through violence, but they aren’t

Auril (Third Form)

Monsters Icewind Dale: Rime of the Frostmaiden

to be cautious and avoid contact with other creatures that can harm her. Auril’s worshipers know better than to disturb her self-imposed isolation. Terrible blizzards have cut off Icewind Dale

time). Thus, she has no reason to capitulate to mortals’ demands. As the embodiment of winter’s cruelty, she is incapable of showing mercy or compassion. Play her as a supremely cold and

Charlatan - Baldur's Gate

Backgrounds Baldur’s Gate: Descent into Avernus

want. 4 I’m a born gambler who can’t resist taking a risk for a potential payoff. 5 I lie about almost everything, even when there’s no good reason to. 6 Sarcasm and

. 3 Somewhere out there, I have a child who doesn’t know me. I’m making the world better for him or her. 4 I come from a noble family, and one day I’ll reclaim my lands and

Mark of Handling Human

Species Eberron: Rising from the Last War

were born to rule it. —Dalin d’Vadalis The Mark of Handling gives its bearer a primal connection to beasts and the natural world, granting the power to calm and coax. This extends beyond

rumors claim that Vadalis has crafted monsters of its own. Some rumors even insist that Vadalis is trying to magebreed better humans.

Tortle Legacy

Species The Tortle Package

born near sandy coastlines, but as soon as they’re able to walk on two legs, they become nomad survivalists eager to explore the wilderness, experience its many wonders, put their skills to the

prefer simple, non-gender-specific names that are usually no more than two syllables. If a tortle doesn’t like its name for whatever reason, it can change it. A tortle might change its name a dozen

Auril (First Form)

Monsters Icewind Dale: Rime of the Frostmaiden

weak and vulnerable. In her self-inflicted weakened state, Auril is inclined to be cautious and avoid contact with other creatures that can harm her. Auril’s worshipers know better than to

can’t truly die (although the characters can rid the world of her for a time). Thus, she has no reason to capitulate to mortals’ demands. As the embodiment of winter’s cruelty, she is

Waterdhavian Noble

Backgrounds Sword Coast Adventurer's Guide

Faerûn for being eccentric, spoiled, venal, and, above all else, rich. Whether you are a shining example of the reason for this reputation or one who proves the rule by being an exception, people

background below as the basis for your traits and motivations, modifying the entries when appropriate to suit your identity as a member of a Waterdhavian family. Like other nobles, you were born

Firbolg Legacy

Species Volo's Guide to Monsters

’ presence is marked by an absence of animals and a strange quiet, as if the forest wishes to avoid attracting attention to itself. The faster travelers decide to move on, the better. If these

Reason for Adventuring 1 Outcast for murder 2 Outcast for severely damaging home territory 3 Clan slain by invading humanoids 4 Clan slain by a dragon or demon 5

City Watch / Investigator

Backgrounds Sword Coast Adventurer's Guide

City of Skilled Hands. Even if you’re not city-born or city-bred, this background can describe your early years as a member of law enforcement. Most settlements of any size have their own

suit your identity as a member of the city watch. Your bond is likely associated with your fellow watch members or the watch organization itself and almost certainly concerns your community. Your

Lizardfolk Personality

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

waste and see no reason not to scavenge fallen enemies. Fingers are tasty and portable! 2 You sleep best while mostly submerged in water. 3 Money is meaningless to you. 4 You think there are only two

species of humanoid: lizardfolk and meat. 5 You have learned to laugh. You use this talent in response to all emotional situations, to better fit in with your comrades. 6 You still don’t understand how

Auril (Second Form)

Monsters Icewind Dale: Rime of the Frostmaiden

that can harm her. Auril’s worshipers know better than to disturb her self-imposed isolation. Terrible blizzards have cut off Icewind Dale from the rest of the world, and a shroud of mist

might prove helpful: So long as she has mortal worshipers, Auril can’t truly die (although the characters can rid the world of her for a time). Thus, she has no reason to capitulate to mortals

Personalities

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

unique mannerism. Lizardfolk Quirks d8 Quirk 1 You hate waste and see no reason not to scavenge fallen enemies. Fingers are tasty and portable! 2 You sleep best while mostly submerged in water

to all emotional situations, to better fit in with your comrades. 6 You still don’t understand how metaphors work. This doesn’t stop you from trying to use them at every opportunity. 7 You appreciate

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

provoke retaliatory attacks from the creatures they steal from. It’s better to be cautious and overlooked than to be considered dangerous and a threat. In a couple of situations, kobolds might

Option 1: Mysterious Patron

Compendium - Sources->Dungeons & Dragons->Dragon Delves

takes the adventurers under his metaphorical wing and sends them on adventures to deal with draconic concerns, great and small, across the world. The patron might feign surprise when an adventure

that doesn’t at first seem to involve a dragon (such as “The Will of Orcus,” chapter 3) turns out to revolve around one, but of course that’s exactly the reason Bahamut sent the characters to investigate

Kenku Legacy

Species Volo's Guide to Monsters

. Every kenku is born with a desire to take to the air, and those who learn spellcasting do so in hope of mastering spells that will allow them to fly. Rumors of magic items such as flying carpets, brooms

. 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

Conflict without End

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

activity or to recover stolen treasures if they can do so without attracting too much attention. This eternal enmity between duergar and dwarves doesn’t consume either side; both have other concerns

and needs that take much of their time and attention, At the same time, the never-ending state of war is never out of mind — every dwarf knows that a chance encounter with a duergar could be fatal, and every duergar would like nothing better than to have such an opportunity.

The Codicil and the Orb

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

. Vellynne has every reason to believe that both items are currently on an island in the Sea of Moving Ice. The Codicil Vellynne describes this book as follows: “Written and guarded by Auril’s followers

concerns by pointing out the obvious: “Any god who chooses to live among mortals is hiding from something, and anyone who needs to hide can’t be all-powerful.” Professor Skant Vellynne’s family has a

Roleplaying Strahd

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

believed, that he is the master of his own fate. When he was alive, Strahd could admit to letting his emotions get the better of him from time to time. Now, as a vampire, he is more monster than man

, with barely a hint of emotion left. He is above the concerns of the living. The only event that occasionally haunts him is the death of Tatyana, but his view of the past is bereft of romance or regret

Moonstone Dragon Treasures

Compendium - Sources->Dungeons & Dragons->Fizban's Treasury of Dragons

with unique, whimsical, or absurd designs. The more fanciful an item’s form is, the better. Moonstone Dragon Art Objects d8 Object 1 A statue of a beautiful Fey who appears to be laughing

of pixies and sprites; the dragon insists that Fey allies address any questions and concerns to the figurines 5 A painting of a beautiful Feywild vista; the dragon studies the painting every

Involving the Characters

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

inventive. You can help spur their creativity with a few questions about their characters: Are you a native, born and raised in the area? If so, who’s your family? What’s your current occupation? Are you

story is convincing enough. Suggest alterations to a character’s story so it better fits your world, or weave the first threads of your campaign into that story.

Noteworthy Features

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

of the outlying villages, like Shuaran? Were you adopted? Were you born without the gift, or do you display a different manifestation? What secret of the land do you know better than anyone else? Is

Chapter 5: Spring Madness

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

Chapter 5: Spring Madness Xanathar has let its paranoia get the better of it, and the beholder trusts no one. The Stone of Golorr disappeared from its lair while it was brokering a deal that would

has access to lair actions, and characters might encounter the beholder’s regional effects as well. Characters who don’t visit Xanathar’s lair in the course of this adventure might have reason to do

Breaking the Law

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

, and murder are severe, regardless of the reason for the crime. If the characters express interest in knowing more about crimes and punishments in Waterdeep, give them the Code Legal handout in

could end with one or more of the characters being exiled, sentenced to several years of hard labor, imprisoned, or put to death. If that’s how their adventure ends, so be it. Hopefully, your next group will fare better.

Using the Golden Vault

Compendium - Sources->Dungeons & Dragons->Keys from the Golden Vault

profane entity. Four adventurers hired to retrieve the book from Delphi Mansion have disappeared without a trace. We have good reason to believe they’re dead. This quest, should you choose to undertake

it, requires you to travel to Delphi Mansion and retrieve The Celestial Codex. May you fare better than the last group. Good luck, operatives.” Closing the music box causes the golden key to vanish.

Adventure Background

Compendium - Sources->Dungeons & Dragons->Heroes’ Feast: Saving the Children’s Menu

Homestead” sidebar). Arthur Holrow was one of twelve children, born to parents of hardy country stock. Naturally quite shy, Arthur kept to himself. While his siblings were drawn to lofty pursuits and

Homestead are extraordinary. That’s partly due to Arthur’s magical experiments and his skill with druidic magic. But there’s another, more ominous reason for the land’s fecundity. The hill at Holrow

Inside the League

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

throughout the guild, he values results over success, accepting and even anticipating that Izzet experiments will end in gloriously unpredictable ways. However, the dragon rarely concerns himself with the

analysis to intuitive leap seemingly for no reason, always thinking outside the proverbial box. As the Izzet see it, unpredictable action, far from being antithetical to methodical research, has

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