bitter both desert call rather

Snow Sphinx

monsters

whips around a feline face, revealing piercing blue eyes that can freeze foes with a single glance. Compared to its desert-dwelling cousins, this sphinx is far less likely to be defeated with reason or

logic. Although a snow sphinx can speak, it generally greets its prey with claws and teeth rather than riddles or philosophical conversation. Physically, this fearsome creature is well adapted to harsh

Mercion

Monsters The Wild Beyond the Witchlight

natural leader and a protective caregiver. She has a direct manner that reassures and inspires those around her. Mercion does not worship a deity, but rather an ideal: that truth gives life to artistry

against what I hold dear.” Ideal. “Truth begets art and beauty, while deceit does nothing but tear the fabric of our souls.” Bond. “Evildoers beware! Valor’s Call is

Elkhorn

Monsters The Wild Beyond the Witchlight

destruction of evil in all its forms. He’s not especially bright, so he fights with his heart rather than his wits. Age has drained much of the strength from Elkhorn’s body. Strongheart

dead.” Combat Notes Elkhorn’s challenge rating is based on him using Feint to improve his rather weak sword attack. Having been trained in his youth to fight ogres and trolls, he&rsquo

Reborn

Species Van Richten’s Guide to Ravenloft

sensations or visions of the past to come rushing back. Rather than sleeping, reborn regularly sit and dwell on the past, hoping for some revelation of what came before. Most of the time, these are dark

tears to your eyes. Is it a bitter or cheerful memory? Does recalling it make you feel the same way? 3 You recall a childhood memory. What about that event or who you were still influences you

Vladimir Horngaard

Monsters Curse of Strahd

witnessing Strahd himself slay Vladimir's beloved, his fellow knight Sir Godfrey Gwilym. With the battle won, Strahd surrounded Argynvostholt. Rather than cower in his lair, Argynvost emerged and

battled Strahd's armies to the bitter end. Deadly Vengeance. Unwilling to accept his failure, Vladimir returned as a revenant. So great was his hatred of Strahd and his thirst for vengeance that those

Kelubar Demodand

Monsters Planescape: Adventures in the Multiverse

farastu minions—rather than fight directly. Demodands Demodands, also called gehreleths, are Fiends from the Tarterian Depths of Carceri. Cast into the prison plane long ago for forgotten

transgressions, these bitter, wicked creatures have appointed themselves the jailers of the plane. Demodands viciously defend the few known portals that lead out of Carceri and ruthlessly torment other

Ringlerun

Monsters The Wild Beyond the Witchlight

made him the envy of many rival spellcasters. Ringlerun has a good heart, but he’s easily distracted by intellectual pursuits. He would rather spend time in quiet contemplation or reading than in

attack at range using his staff’s formidable spells (cone of cold being his favorite). Valor's Call The noble adventuring party known as Valor’s Call was founded by Strongheart, a

Walnut Dankgrass

Monsters Acquisitions Incorporated

3rd level (3 slots): call lightning, dispel magic, plant growth 4th level (1 slot): blight, freedom of movementMultiattack. Walnut makes two attacks with Foremother or her longbow. Foremother (+1

. Walnut distrusts most folk she meets, except for those whose bearing reflects the matriarchal structure she was once part of. No matter what shape her struggles take, she knows instinctively that her beliefs are right and true — and that she will follow those beliefs to the bitter end.

Isolde

Monsters Van Richten’s Guide to Ravenloft

archfey named Zybilna, who had forged secret pacts with some of the fiends Isolde and her companions had slain. Rather than be angry at Isolde, Zybilna was impressed by her. She enlisted a powerful fiend

known only as “the Caller” to corrupt and slay all of Isolde’s companions, leaving Isolde alone, bitter, and vulnerable. The insidious archfey then befriended Isolde and offered to

Forlarren

Monsters Mordenkainen's Fiendish Folio Volume 1

of Avernus attempted an expedition to the Feywild long ago, and the forlarren are the bitter reminder of that doomed excursion. The archdevil Fierna—co-ruler of Phlegethos, the fourth layer of the Nine

bound to their fey lord and unable to bargain away their souls. So rather than claim them, Fierna warped and twisted them before returning them to the Feywild, content that the corruption of the satyrs

Yakfolk Warrior

Monsters Storm King's Thunder

Forgotten God. Yakfolk are the creations of a malevolent deity they call the Forgotten God. The worship of this nameless deity directs their lives. The deity takes the form of a male Yikaria, but its

mountain valleys, soaring plateaus, and desert oases. Outsiders that stumble into an enclave of yakfolk are usually surprised and pleased to find what appears to be a utopia, and the yakfolk foster

Yakfolk Priest

Monsters Storm King's Thunder

apart. Servants of the Forgotten God. Yakfolk are the creations of a malevolent deity they call the Forgotten God. The worship of this nameless deity directs their lives. The deity takes the form of

’s abuse, including mountain valleys, soaring plateaus, and desert oases. Outsiders that stumble into an enclave of yakfolk are usually surprised and pleased to find what appears to be a utopia

Firbolg Legacy

Species Volo's Guide to Monsters

the group’s needs, but the effect each action will have on the forest and the rest of the natural world. Firbolg tribes would rather go hungry than strain the land during a famine. Hidden

Shepherds As caretakers of the land, firbolgs prefer to remain out of sight and out of mind. They don’t try to dominate nature, but rather seek to ensure that it prospers and survives according to its

Leonin

Species Mythic Odysseys of Theros

the leonin who call that land home. Leonin and the Gods d6 Attitude 1 I’m amused by the antics of the gods and their earnest, but ultimately deluded, mortal champions, and I

feel smugly superior in my detachment. 2 The meddling of the gods in mortal affairs makes me angry and bitter. I wish they would just leave us all alone! 3 I view the gods as worthy

Izzet Engineer

Backgrounds Guildmasters’ Guide to Ravnica

Spells Cantrip produce flame, shocking grasp 1st chaos bolt, create or destroy water, unseen servant 2nd heat metal, rope trick 3rd call lightning,

protocols will lead us toward progress more surely than any belief system. (Lawful) 5 Fun. I love my job! Despite the dangerous working conditions, there’s nothing I’d rather do

Rogue Legacy

Classes Basic Rules (2014)

would rather make one precise strike, placing it exactly where the attack will hurt the target most, than wear an opponent down with a barrage of attacks. Rogues have an almost supernatural knack for

coin you needed to escape the squalor of your life. Did wanderlust finally call you away from your home? Perhaps you suddenly found yourself cut off from your family or your mentor, and you had to find

Bugbear Legacy

Species Volo's Guide to Monsters

rather than perform the work or confront the foe. Even when subsumed into a goblinoid host and drawn into war, bugbears must often be roused from naps and bribed to get them to do their duties. This

natural state. Thanks to Grankhul, they can use their size and strength to work as stealthy assassins rather than blundering around like ogres. Bullying, murder, and engaging in battle are all holy

Far Traveler

Backgrounds Sword Coast Adventurer's Guide

about Mulhorand is alien to someone from the Sword Coast. You likely experienced the same sort of culture shock when you left your desert home and traveled to the unfamiliar climes of northern Faerû

because you have made too many enemies among the desert communities of your home. Sossal. Few have heard of your homeland, but many have questions about it upon seeing you. Humans from Sossal seem

Verdan

Species Acquisitions Incorporated

then passing through the shadow of That-Which-Endures changed them forever. Now the newest race to call Faerûn home, the verdan do their best to find their way in an unfamiliar world

. Reality is a descent into chaos punctuated by brief flashes of order, whence we arose and so imagine it to be the norm rather than a distant outlier. That-Which-Endures held entropy back for a mere instant

Travel in Anauroch

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

, scouts looking for food, or bandits hoping to raid merchant caravans that try to shortcut their way across the desert rather than circumnavigate it. The Bedine nomads can act as guides for lost characters, offer clues for stuck players, and provide food and water for adventurers in desperate need.

Travel in Anauroch Due to its magical history, Anauroch is more than a barren wasteland and a hostile desert climate to those who wander within its borders. Anauroch holds lost cities, savage

Arriving in Anauroch

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

sand. Intent on their investigation of the golem, they don’t notice your arrival. The two desert nomads (use the bandit stat block) and a camel they call Old Stink (for good reason) hail from a Bedine

Arriving in Anauroch Created by fearsome magic, the ancient desert of Anauroch hides ruined cities under its sands. The most famous include the lost cities of Netheril, an empire of wizards doomed by

Using the Infinite Staircase

Compendium - Sources->Dungeons & Dragons->Quests from the Infinite Staircase

end an ancient curse upon the land. Seek him out and heed his call.” Nafas then teleports the characters to a door along the staircase that opens into a bleak desert. After the adventure, the characters can return to the staircase through the same portal.

actions in life, the ghost of a long-dead pharaoh wanders the desert, day and night. Eons of torturous solitude have shown him the error of his ways, and he asks for brave mortals to free his soul and

Appendix: Festive Monsters

compendium - Sources->Dungeons & Dragons->One-Shot Wonders: Holiday Adventure Pack

single glance. Compared to its desert-dwelling cousins, this sphinx is far less likely to be defeated with reason or logic. Although a snow sphinx can speak, it generally greets its prey with claws and

teeth rather than riddles or philosophical conversation. Physically, this fearsome creature is well adapted to harsh habitats, such as ice-covered mountains or arctic plains. It has wide paws to stop

Kenku Legacy

Species Volo's Guide to Monsters

kenku make an easy living serving as messengers, spies, and lookouts for thieves’ guilds, bandits, and other criminal cartels. A network of kenku can relay a bird call or similar noise across the

kenku, constant attempts to mimic noises can come across as confusing or irritating rather than entertaining. You can just as easily describe the sounds your character makes and what they mean. Be clear

Yuan-ti Pureblood Legacy

Species Volo's Guide to Monsters

one city-state were killed and eaten to create the first yuan-ti, and once the news of how to perform these rituals spread to other leaders, the call for slaves to fuel the process increased. As the

of evil that calls for them to butcher or eradicate all who oppose them. In keeping with their goal of domination, the yuan-ti would rather capture potentially useful opponents than kill them. They use

Druid Legacy

Classes Basic Rules (2014)

of nature itself or from a nature deity. Many druids pursue a mystic spirituality of transcendent union with nature rather than devotion to a divine entity, while others serve gods of wild nature

used for thrown weapons, such as darts or javelins. Druids from regions that lack the plants described here have chosen other plants to take on similar uses. For instance, a druid of a desert region

Background

Compendium - Sources->Dungeons & Dragons->Quests from the Infinite Staircase

Background Centuries ago, Cynidicea was the capital of a prosperous kingdom. Through advancements in magic and technology, the Cynidiceans reclaimed land from the desert and transformed their city

protuberance, Zargon devoured the workers and slew the garrisons that followed, drowning them in torrents of slime. Rather than face the grim reality confronting them, some Cynidiceans began to view

Quaggoths

Compendium - Sources->Dungeons & Dragons->Monster Manual

can survive on bitter lichens and toxic fungi, they viciously attack anything they can make a meal of, from giant spiders to explorers. Quaggoths sometimes serve as muscle for Underdark-dwelling

—earns the enmity of that quaggoth’s band regardless of reason or fault. These grudges sometimes extend to whole communities rather than individuals. Generations of quaggoths might seek revenge against a

Noteworthy Features

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

monuments, tombs, and pyramids of past golden ages litter Har’Akir. These countless tombs are interconnected, forming a vast, semi-hidden underground network called the Labyrinth. Akirran death rituals call

for removing the heart, draining the body of blood, and wrapping the remains in linen. These methods preserve the body so the pharaoh might call it to service. It is a crime to burn the dead. Akirrans

Peoples of the North

Compendium - Sources->Dungeons & Dragons->Storm King's Thunder

Frontier lies between the Sword Coast and the desert of Anauroch, extending as far north as Icewind Dale and as far south as the city of Waterdeep. The denizens of the North are accustomed to cool, mild

summers and fierce, bitter winters. Beacons of civilization hug the Sword Coast and dot the fertile river valleys, yet despite the abundant natural resources and scenic beauty, survival is a day-to-day

Continuing the Adventure

compendium - Sources->Dungeons & Dragons->One-Shot Wonders: Holiday Adventure Pack

safety and security, more adventurous souls are often drawn to coastal towns, unable to resist the siren’s call of exploration and new experiences offered by life at sea. The southernmost region of

Mirabilis is the Kupika Desert. Residents of the settlements in this area are famed for providing warm hospitality for those who have ventured through the unforgiving sand dunes.

Character Advancement

Compendium - Sources->Dungeons & Dragons->Quests from the Infinite Staircase

Character Advancement If you want to use story-based level advancement, the characters receive experience points for achieving the following milestones rather than defeating monsters: Escape the Maze

reprinted Pharaoh in 1982 but also hired Tracy Hickman. TSR later published two more adventures in the Desert of Desolation trilogy. Pharaoh was praised for blending masterful dungeon design with a

Espionage Agency Contacts

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

Espionage Agency Contacts Your assignments come from a superior in the agency who typically works at a desk rather than in the field—compiling intelligence into reports for their superiors and

receive. Agency Contacts d8 Contact 1 A condescending career desk agent who views you as expendable tools 2 A bitter former field agent, now confined to a field office, who envies your work 3 A

Faded Memories

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

. Rather than sleeping, reborn regularly sit and dwell on the past, hoping for some revelation of what came before. Most of the time, these are dark, silent stretches. Occasionally, though, in a moment of

Memory 1 You recall a physically painful moment. What mark or scar on your body does it relate to? 2 A memory brings tears to your eyes. Is it a bitter or cheerful memory? Does recalling

Chapter 3: Danger at Dunwater

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

alarmed the Saltmarsh Town Council. Greatly troubled and filled with apprehension, the councillors call an emergency meeting. This adventure is designed for a group of four to six 3rd-level characters

challenges the characters to act as ambassadors to a colony of lizardfolk. While such roleplay-focused adventures are the norm today, at the time of its publication (in 1982) this adventure was the first to make interaction an absolute requirement for success, rather than one option among many.

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