birth best diffusing concept refer

Glaive

Monsters Vecna: Eve of Ruin

blighted region. Among the blades, Glaive is best known for her talent at self-modification. “Glaive” is etched onto the back of her neck-plate. It is the only name Glaive has ever known

, and fellow blades don’t dare call her anything else. Mournland adventurers, however, refer to the terrifying commander by another name: Kill Switch.PoisonOverdrive (Recharges after Finishing a

Goliath Legacy

Species Elemental Evil Player's Companion

the goliath concept of fair play. A permanently injured goliath is still expected to pull his or her weight in the tribe. Typically, such a goliath dies attempting to keep up, or the goliath slips

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

Eater of Hope

Monsters Mythic Odysseys of Theros

’ greed to turn them against one another and their own best interests. Some foul souls can’t let go of the miserable lives they had. Having been despicable in life, these spirits fester in

. A demon of Theros doesn’t require food, drink, or sleep. FIENDS OF THEROS On Theros, the term “demon” encompasses all fiends. The people of Theros might refer to “demons

Noble Legacy

Backgrounds Basic Rules (2014)

Privelege 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

Dragonborn Legacy

Species Basic Rules (2014)

best attributes of dragons and humanoids. Some dragonborn are faithful servants to true dragons, others form the ranks of soldiers in great wars, and still others find themselves adrift, with no clear

all dragonborn strive to be self-sufficient, they recognize that help is sometimes needed in difficult situations. But the best source for such help is the clan, and when a clan needs help, it turns

Goliath Names

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

change them to refer to an individual’s notable deeds. Goliaths present all three names when identifying themselves, in the order of birth name, nickname, and clan name. In casual conversation, they

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

Firbolg Legacy

Species Volo's Guide to Monsters

adopt elven names when they must deal with outsiders, although the concept of names strikes them as strange. They know the animals and plants of the forest without formal names, and instead identify the

forest’s children by their deeds, habits, and other actions. By the same token, their tribe names merely refer to their homes. When dealing with other races, firbolgs refer to their lands by

Courtier

Backgrounds Sword Coast Adventurer's Guide

circumstances of your birth, could have secured you this position. You might have been one of the many functionaries, attendants, and other hangers-on in the Court of Silverymoon, or perhaps you

tirelessly to get the best deal possible. 8 I’m well known for my work, and I want to make sure everyone appreciates it. I’m always taken aback when people haven’t heard of me

Yuan-ti Pureblood Legacy

Species Volo's Guide to Monsters

can more easily pronounce the name in this altered form. An adopted name of this sort is recognized as a variant of the birth name, rather than a unique name unto itself. A yuan-ti might refer to

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

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

Far Traveler

Backgrounds Sword Coast Adventurer's Guide

to the folk of the Sword Coast. If you come from Kara-Tur, the people of Faerûn likely refer to you as Shou, even if that isn’t your true ethnicity, because that’s the blanket term

course, you followed an equally long route when you came north from your place of birth. Though it isn’t unusual for Zakharans to visit the southern extremes of Faerûn for trading purposes, few

Keeping Time from Day to Day

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

their arrangements around such expressions. The concept of hours and minutes exists mainly where wealthy people use clocks, but mechanical clocks are often unreliable, and rarely are two set to the same

time. If a local temple or civic structure has a clock that tolls out the passing of the hours, people refer to hours as “bells,” as in “I’ll meet you at seven bells.”

Firbolg Names

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

Firbolg Names Firbolg adopt elven names when they must deal with outsiders, although the concept of names strikes them as strange. They know the animals and plants of the forest without formal names

, and instead identify the forest’s children by their deeds, habits, and other actions. By the same token, their tribe names merely refer to their homes. When dealing with other races, firbolgs refer

Yuan-ti Names

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

sort is recognized as a variant of the birth name, rather than a unique name unto itself. A yuan-ti might refer to itself by its birth name, by its adopted name, or (especially among purebloods) by a

Yuan-ti Names Yuan-ti names have meanings that have been passed down through the generations, although spellings and inflections have changed over time. Some yuan-ti add more sibilants to their birth

The Draconic Prophecy

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

forge, especially when connected to House Cannith as the gorgon in the previous line. Or they could refer to the birth of a new thing from the ashes of the old, or to mortal passions (the fires of the

: “The gorgon’s breath.” These words could refer to a literal gorgon, perhaps one magically altered or infused with radiant energy so its breath restores health, brings the dead back to life, or animates

Waterdhavian Noble

Backgrounds Sword Coast Adventurer's Guide

masses. 4 I take great pains to always look my best and follow the latest fashions. 5 I don’t like to get my hands dirty, and I won’t be caught dead in unsuitable accommodations

. 6 Despite my noble birth, I do not place myself above other folk. We all have the same blood. 7 My favor, once lost, is lost forever. 8 If you do me an injury, I will crush you, ruin

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

, 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

Flaws Legacy

Rules

Your character's flaw represents some vice, compulsion, fear, or weakness—in particular, anything that someone else could exploit to bring you to ruin or cause you to act against your best interests

. More significant than negative personality traits, a flaw might answer any of these questions: What enrages you? What's the one person, concept, or event that you are terrified of? What are your vices?

Childhood

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

rely on friends for the development of their social skills. In exceedingly rare cases, a birth might produce twins or — scarcer yet — triplets. These offspring, which the elves refer to as soul siblings

to usher a child into the world. They cannot understand how a birth is both a joy and a sorrow, a reunion and a parting. Each birth represents an elf soul that has been to Arvandor and returned

Origin of the Ordning

Compendium - Sources->Dungeons & Dragons->Bigby Presents: Glory of the Giants

Origin of the Ordning Most giants believe Annam established the ordning at the very beginning and that it reflects the birth order of his sons. One myth likens the ordning to the structure of the

the ordning in some mythic future. Giants on some worlds (including Eberron) have no concept of the ordning at all. Such giants might think of themselves as a single species, with the differences

Monsters

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

Monsters Ghosts, mind flayers, werewolves—every monster is a story. Consider which monsters complement or contrast a Darklord’s story. In a few sentences, describe which monsters best represent the

ghosts who suffer from the Darklord’s experiments. For inspiration, refer to the “Darklord’s Shadows” section and your answers to the questions there, as well as the Monsters tables in the “Genres of Horror” section later in this chapter.

Adult Moonstone Dragon

Monsters Fizban's Treasury of Dragons

together form a shape that’s reminiscent of a slender crescent moon. Moonstone dragons are playful and impetuous forces of mischief in their early years, but the best of them mature into wise

of an arcanaloth seeking a powerful Feywild artifact. 5 An adult moonstone dragon attempts to help a beholder worried that its dreams will soon give birth to a rival beholder. 6 Members of

Secret

Compendium - Sources->Dungeons & Dragons->Xanathar's Guide to Everything

cosmic force, such as life or death, or a philosophy or concept, such as love, peace, or one of the nine alignments. Chapter 1 of the Dungeon Master’s Guide explores options like these, in the section

up serving, choose a Divine Domain that is appropriate for it, and if it doesn’t have a holy symbol, work with your DM to design one. The cleric’s class features often refer to your deity. If you

How It Started

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

grew, so too did its demand for willing and able-bodied adventurers. However, a limited payroll meant having to settle for one or the other. After coming to the conclusion that a mission statement best

recover the soul of said intern. (Clearly, none of those hells paid for him either.) The rogue Viari is one of Acquisitions Incorporated’s best internship success stories. In fact, he was so

Outer Planes

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

, the Outer Planes provide the direction, thought, and purpose for its construction. Accordingly, many sages refer to the Outer Planes as divine planes, spiritual planes, or godly planes, for the Outer

Planes are best known as the homes of deities. When discussing anything to do with deities, the language used must be highly metaphorical. Their actual homes aren’t literally places at all, but

Outer Planes

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

refer to the Outer Planes as divine planes, spiritual planes, or godly planes, for the Outer Planes are best known as the homes of deities. When discussing anything to do with deities, the language used

a virtually meaningless concept on the Outer Planes. The perceptible regions of the planes often seem quite small, but they can also stretch on to what seems like infinity. It might be possible to

Aftermath of the Last War

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

Aftermath of the Last War Darguun was born in the Last War, and the scars of its birth are still raw. Most of the Cyran population fled the goblin uprising, and those who remained were killed or

empire and stand in the shadow of the nations around them. Haruuc wants to draw out the best in his people, to harness their strengths and achieve their potential. The rest of Khorvaire waits to see if the Ghaal’dar have the will to remain a nation, and if Darguun can survive when Haruuc passes away.

Life in Shankhabhumi

Compendium - Sources->Dungeons & Dragons->Journeys through the Radiant Citadel

Life in Shankhabhumi Outsiders often refer to the people of Shankhabhumi collectively as “riverlanders,” but the folk of the three city-states call themselves Sagorpuri, Ashwadhatuj, or Tippuri, and

Every meal in Shankhabhumi includes fish, though each city proclaims its own style of preparing it to be the best. In fact, cooking is a competitive discipline at the Shankha Trials. Sagorpuri fish

Tragic Flaws

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

of “anything that someone else could exploit to bring you to ruin or cause you to act against your best interests.” For a hero in Theros, a tragic flaw is something that the gods themselves might

. 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 Balance

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

eternity. A third point of view exists, held by those who take both sides at their word and strive to make sure that neither outcome ever comes to pass. The adherents of this viewpoint refer to the

concept they espouse as the Balance, and they seek to maintain equilibrium across the cosmos above all. Mordenkainen and his compatriots are among its most notable devotees. Since a true appreciation of

Foreward

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

hard part was deciding how exactly to do that. We faced an important decision early on in creating the concept for this campaign. In addition to the original 1985 adventure, there was a sequel released

straightforward. I highly recommend it as one of D&D's earliest and best dungeons. Instead, we decided to consider Elemental Evil as cosmic threat. As creatures of the planes, the elemental princes

Running Preludes

Compendium - Sources->Dungeons & Dragons->Dragonlance: Shadow of the Dragon Queen

, each character should participate in a prelude encounter. After you’ve determined which preludes to run, choose which characters will participate in which. Then consider how to best run each prelude

the encounter together. The “Scales of War” prelude lends itself to this. Throughout these preludes, mentions of “characters” refer to those characters who are the focus of the prelude. Characters can

Darklord's Shadows

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

committed. Consider selecting those that best complement the players’ characters and that don’t conflict with any boundaries discussed in your group’s session zero (see “Preparing for Horror” in chapter 4

? Once you’ve considered these questions, write down your answers and review them. Mark or highlight the words that resonate or feel creepily evocative. As you proceed through domain creation, refer back to these details for inspiration.

Noble

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

Languages: One of your choice Equipment: A set of fine clothes, a signet ring, a scroll of pedigree, and a purse containing 25 gp Feature: Position of Privilege 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

Pegasus

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

Pegasus “Behold, the pegasus. It can outrace a dragon in the open sky, and only the best among us can ever hope to ride one. A fitting emblem for our great house, don’t you think

of elven gods. These gods have been known to send pegasi to the Material Plane to aid those in need. Pegasi Nests. Pegasi mate for life, build their nests in hard-to-reach locations, and give birth to

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