birth before dark compound really

Gaj

Monsters Spelljammer: Adventures in Space

silt and lying in wait, lurking in dark caves, or perching on natural stone ledges, where they blend in with their surroundings. Gaj have no language, but they have the magical ability to understand the

speech of other creatures. A gaj’s head is a spongy globe about 2 feet in diameter, with three feathery antennae protruding from the top. Spaced around the head are six compound eyes, and six

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

dozen) in a fortified compound enclosed by stone walls that are easily defensible. If no such compound exists, they build one. The parents spend the remainder of their lives guarding the compound

Human Legacy

Species Basic Rules (2014)

head on the ceiling—good food and good stories in front of a nice, warm fire. If halflings had a shred of ambition, they might really amount to something.” Lasting Institutions Where a

the Inner Sea, the Mulan are generally tall, slim, and amber-skinned, with eyes of hazel or brown. Their hair ranges from black to dark brown, but in the lands where the Mulan are most prominent, nobles

Kalashtar Legacy

Species Eberron: Rising from the Last War

-Lashtavar. —Lakashtai, servant of the light The kalashtar are a compound race created from the union of humanity and renegade spirits from the plane of dreams — spirits called quori

for any noble cause. 10 You are obsessed with Dreaming Dark conspiracies. Hunted by Nightmares The virtuous spirits tied to the kalashtar fled from the dream-realm of Dal Quor to escape

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

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

Rakdos Cultist

Backgrounds Guildmasters’ Guide to Ravnica

very amusing dark side. 2 A Boros captain really wants to “redeem” me. 3 I think a member of my troupe is a Dimir agent. 4 I once convinced a Golgari medusa to participate

guild is all that really matters. (Any) 2 Hedonism. Death comes for everyone, so take as much pleasure as you can from every moment of life. (Neutral) 3 Creativity. I strive to

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

Life of a Tortle

Compendium - Sources->Dungeons & Dragons->Tomb of Annihilation Supplement

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 wilderness in which to hunt, catch

skills. When a tortle nears the end of its natural lifespan, it seeks out a mate and procreates. Tortles lay their eggs (numbering as few as one or as many as a dozen) in a fortified compound enclosed

Dimir Operative

Backgrounds Guildmasters’ Guide to Ravnica

;Disguise kit Languages: One of your choice Equipment: A Dimir insignia, three small knives, a set of dark-colored common clothes, and the starting equipment of the background described in this

d6 Ideal 1 Guild. My true guild is all that really matters. (Any) 2 Control. I like pulling the strings. (Lawful) 3 Secrets. I collect secrets and never

Dark Gifts

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

made at a forgotten shrine? Did you bargain with a voice whispering from a mirror, the sea, or the Mists? Does the Dark Gift compound with your other character choices to reinforce your unique origin

Dark Gifts The Dark Powers influence many who struggle within their clutches, tempting both the innocent and ambitious with whispered promises. These sinister bargains are rarely spoken, coming in

Orc Legacy

Species Volo's Guide to Monsters

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

, orcs breed prodigiously (and they aren’t choosy about what they breed with, which is why such creatures as half-orcs and ogrillons are found in the world). Females that are about to give birth are

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

Golgari Agent

Backgrounds Guildmasters’ Guide to Ravnica

, rot, and rebirth. You have spent your life in the slow churn of that ecosystem, in the dark places of the city where the messy parts of existence are on display. There is little squeamishness among the

. Ideals d6 Ideal 1 Guild. My guild is all that really matters. (Any) 2 Stoicism. All of us are part of the cyclical march of nature, which will continue with

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.

Robust Patronage

Compendium - Sources->Dungeons & Dragons->Acquisitions Incorporated

warlock. Standard Dark Spellcaster Franchise Rules No summoning circles in the bathroom. No “tentacle talk” during mealtimes. You must wear a gag at bedtime. That constant screaming makes it hard for

everyone else to fall asleep. Other party members’ rations are for their own consumption, not for sacrificing to dark forces. No more declaring, “The sacrament is complete!” at the conclusion of

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

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.

Clandestine Hags

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

free the dryads to set the woods back to order. Instead of the hags being disguised as goodly dryads, you might instead choose to reverse the scenario. The Three Mothers might really be dryads in need

of help, with Banrion the unicorn an evil creature that must be defeated to save the woods. The unicorn might even be using its dark magic to cause the dryads to appear as hags.

Questioning Corlie

Compendium - Sources->Dungeons & Dragons->Hold Back The Dead

—that’s not clear. I’ve had conflicting reports about the horde’s leader, but it’s some kind of ghost or creature made of dark mist.” Who’s Defending the Other Wall Sections? “We have a few soldiers

? “And let the Red Wizards establish a stronghold here in the Western Heartlands? No, we must repel them here and now.” Can You Pay More? “The city sponsoring you has authorized hazard pay of 1,000 GP each. Plus, you can split my 1,000 GP hazard pay among yourselves. I really need your help.”

Cleric

Compendium - Sources->Dungeons & Dragons->Acquisitions Incorporated

be hiding in dark places to avoid danger. As a cleric in an Acquisitions Incorporated campaign, you’ll carefully choose your deity so that the domains of your divine patron synergize seamlessly with

-sniff icon (5 gp) 7 Planetar shaving set (15 gp) 8 Unexpurgated holy texts with all the really naughty bits (10 gp) Clerical Routine You might pray for your spells each day at dawn, by

Cult of Rakdos

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

the cult’s extermination, and its entertainments — even as dark and destructive as they are — hold broad appeal. From rowdy mobs who love to see the Rakdos skewer the powerful elites to decadent

socialites who come to the Rakdos for illicit amusements, most of Ravnica’s people don’t really want the Rakdos to go away, as much as they might publicly protest otherwise.

Gaj

Compendium - Sources->Dungeons & Dragons->Spelljammer: Adventures in Space->Boo’s Astral Menagerie

under sand or silt and lying in wait, lurking in dark caves, or perching on natural stone ledges, where they blend in with their surroundings. Gaj have no language, but they have the magical ability to

understand the speech of other creatures. A gaj’s head is a spongy globe about 2 feet in diameter, with three feathery antennae protruding from the top. Spaced around the head are six compound eyes, and

Undercroft

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

without exposing herself to danger. The Dark Lady’s image opens conversation by saying, “Welcome to Rundreth Manor.” The image ignores any attacks the characters make against it, although such interaction

reveals it to be an illusion. The Dark Lady Conversing with the Dark Lady The Dark Lady plays the menacing femme fatale to the hilt, verbally fencing with the adventurers. Use her to feed the

House of the All-Seeing Orb

Compendium - Sources->Dungeons & Dragons->Candlekeep Mysteries

Tashlutans claim to have some amount of skill with personal prognostication. One of the most notable sights in Tashluta, the House of the All-Seeing Orb is an immense compound dedicated to the study of

carrying tomes or mysterious-looking magic devices, bustle about the immense compound. The largest building is patterned with inscribed eyes. A larger, more detailed eye is carved above the building’s

Lone Faithful

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

accident of their birth as a kind of cruel joke they have chosen to embrace. Equally intriguing and disturbing to followers of some faiths in Faerûn are stories spread by tieflings who claim to have

visions in which the gods of Faerûn appear to them modeled in the tieflings’ own image. One such is the entity they call the “pale horned goddess of the moon” (Selûne); another is the “dark, devilish

Humans Transformed

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

serpent gods of the 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

advisor in human society. The very rare offspring of such a union are always purebloods, although they may appear fully human at birth and for several years afterward. The yuan-ti know rituals that

Banderhobb

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

. A banderhobb fulfills its duties until its existence ends. When it expires, usually several days after its birth, it leaves behind only tarry goo and wisps of shadow. Legends tell of a dark tower in

Banderhobb A banderhobb is a hybrid of shadow and flesh. Through dark magic, these components take on an enormous and vile humanoid shape, resembling a bipedal toad. In this form, a banderhobb

Redcap

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

hags and dark mages that know methods to call redcaps out of the Feywild and put them to work as grisly servants. Also, some redcaps can sense the being whose murderous acts led to their birth. A redcap

The Abbot

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

reopened the abbey and began tending to the physically and mentally ill. In so doing, he hoped to bring some much-needed light to Barovia. His efforts worked for a while, but then the Dark Powers began

for which they were eternally grateful, but could not cure them of certain human defects that had been present since birth. The Abbot became consumed with a prideful, obsessive desire to rid the poor

Death Knight

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

Death Knight When a paladin that falls from grace dies without seeking atonement, dark powers can transform the once-mortal knight into a hateful undead creature. A death knight is a skeletal warrior

swept the land. When Isolde gave birth to a son, Soth refused to believe that the child was his and slew them both. All were incinerated in a fire that swept through the castle, yet Soth would find no rest in death, becoming a death knight.

Hags

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

Motherhood. Hags propagate by snatching and devouring human infants. After stealing a baby from its cradle or its mother’s womb, the hag consumes the poor child. A week later, the hag gives birth to a

also return the child to its grieving parents, only to watch from the shadows as the child grows up to become a horror. Dark Bargains. Arrogant to a fault, hags believe themselves to be the most

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