blood borders diffusing complex rules

Troglodyte Legacy

Monsters Monster Manual (2014)

in the shallow depths of the Underdark in a constant state of war against their neighbors and one another. They mark the borders of their territories with cracked bones and skulls, or with

pictographs painted in blood or dung. Perhaps the most loathsome of all humanoids, troglodytes eat anything they can stomach. They dwell in filth. The walls of their cavern homes are smeared with grime, oily

High Fae Noble

Monsters Monstrous Compendium Vol. 4: Eldraine Creatures

been given dominion over a small aspect of the natural world; there are dukes and duchesses for each of the seasons, and noble archivists track every promise made and broken within the borders of

untamed wilderness. High fae have no regard for mortal values of honor and law, but they nonetheless operate under inviolable rules of their own: gifts must always be repaid, promises must be honored

High Fae Kindguard

Monsters Monstrous Compendium Vol. 4: Eldraine Creatures

operate under inviolable rules of their own: gifts must always be repaid, promises must be honored, and outright lies must never be spoken (though misdirection and riddles are always welcome). To

amuse themselves over the long centuries of their lives, high fae frequently engage in deceptions and other complex games of wits against one another. Most high fae remain secluded deep within the wilds

Boss Delour

Monsters The Book of Many Things

"} poison damage.Delour the wererat is a sly trickster and consummate thief who rules the Moonstalkers alongside his friend Boss Augustus;Augustus. Delour’s honeyed words and calculating mind make

more complex challenges the guild can take on as it grows in power. His only real fear is exposure; the bigger and more active the Moonstalkers become, the more likely they are to attract the attention

Howler

Monsters Mordenkainen Presents: Monsters of the Multiverse

hesitation. Howler packs course over the battlefields of the Blood War and also serve evil mortals powerful and vicious enough to command their loyalty. Howlers rely on speed, numbers, and their mind

-numbing howling to corner prey before they tear it apart. Their howls flood the minds of their victims, making complex thought impossible. Listeners can do little more than stare in horror and stumble

High Fae Impostor

Monsters Monstrous Compendium Vol. 4: Eldraine Creatures

regard for mortal values of honor and law, but they nonetheless operate under inviolable rules of their own: gifts must always be repaid, promises must be honored, and outright lies must never be

spoken (though misdirection and riddles are always welcome). To amuse themselves over the long centuries of their lives, high fae frequently engage in deceptions and other complex games of wits against

High Fae Mage

Monsters Monstrous Compendium Vol. 4: Eldraine Creatures

, embodying the natural splendor and danger of the wilderness. High fae have no regard for mortal values of honor and law, but they nonetheless operate under inviolable rules of their own: gifts must

frequently engage in deceptions and other complex games of wits against one another. Most high fae remain secluded deep within the wilds of Eldraine. They draw power from motes of light found

Baphomet Legacy

Monsters Out of the Abyss

, the Horned King and the Prince of Beasts. He rules over minotaur;minotaurs and others with savage hearts. He is worshiped by those who want to break the confines of civility and unleash their bestial

natures, for Baphomet envisions a world without restraint, where creatures live out their most savage desires. Cults devoted to Baphomet use mazes and complex knots as their emblems, creating secret

Outlander - Baldur's Gate

Backgrounds Baldur’s Gate: Descent into Avernus

the path to Baldur’s Gate fully understanding the complex social morass that awaits. You enter the city an outsider, and it’s likely that—no matter how long you spend in the city&mdash

, survived weather more extreme than any city-dweller could comprehend, and enjoyed the solitude of being the only thinking creature for miles in any direction. The wilds are in your blood, whether you were a

Geryon

Monsters Mordenkainen Presents: Monsters of the Multiverse

to feel flesh and steel sundered beneath his claws and to taste his foes’ blood. Yet Geryon’s ferocity has also limited his ability to collect souls and forge an effective hierarchy

replacement for both.Geryon’s Lair Geryon has recently reclaimed his ancient fortress, Coldsteel, a sprawling complex that rises from the ice and snow at the center of Stygia. He roams the

Orcus Legacy

Monsters Out of the Abyss

Prince of Undeath, known as the Blood Lord. He takes some pleasure in the sufferings of the living, but far prefers the company and service of the undead. His desire is to see all life quenched and the

chapter 7, "Treasure” of the Dungeon Master’s Guide.Orcus’s Lair Orcus makes his lair in the fortress city of Naratyr, which is on Thanatos, the layer of the Abyss that he rules

Orcus

Monsters Mordenkainen Presents: Monsters of the Multiverse

known as the Blood Lord. While he takes pleasure in the sufferings of the living, he far prefers the company and service of Undead. His desire is to see all life quenched and the multiverse transformed

Dungeon Master’s Guide.Orcus’s Lair Orcus makes his lair in the fortress city of Naratyr, which is on Thanatos, the layer of the Abyss that he rules. Surrounded by a moat fed by the

Baphomet

Monsters Mordenkainen Presents: Monsters of the Multiverse

Baphomet use mazes and complex knots as their emblems. They create secret places to indulge themselves, including labyrinths of the sort their master favors. Bloodstained crowns and weapons of iron and

minotaur with six iron horns. A fiendish light burns in his red eyes. Although he is filled with bestial blood lust, there lies within him a cruel and cunning intellect devoted to subverting all

Geryon (Variant)

Monsters Mordenkainen Presents: Monsters of the Multiverse

; he loves to feel flesh and steel sundered beneath his claws and to taste his foes’ blood. Yet Geryon’s ferocity has also limited his ability to collect souls and forge an effective

competent replacement for both.Geryon’s Lair Geryon has recently reclaimed his ancient fortress, Coldsteel, a sprawling complex that rises from the ice and snow at the center of Stygia. He roams

Artificer

classes Eberron: Forge of the Artificer

magic as a complex system waiting to be decoded and then harnessed in their spells and inventions. Becoming an Artificer... As a Level 1 Character Gain all the traits in the Core Artificer Traits

Artificer’s level 1 features, which are listed in the Artificer Features table. See the multiclassing rules in the Player’s Handbook to determine your available spell slots, adding half your

Ancient Sapphire Dragon

Monsters Fizban's Treasury of Dragons

cannot resist a game of dragonchess—which, I will have you know, my ancestors probably invented. 8 The sight of blood makes me queasy. Sapphire Dragon Ideals d6

caverns and complex tunnel systems. As they grow older, they continually renovate their lairs, using their tunneling abilities and command over stone. Sapphire dragons eventually create dizzying

Kobold Legacy

Species Volo's Guide to Monsters

, designed to collapse under the weight of any creature heavier than a kobold. On occasion, the route through a kobold lair runs along a ledge that borders a cavern or a crevasse, and the kobolds might

owner, they are often willing to take the chance of revealing themselves because the potential reward is worth the risk. Dragon Servitors Kobolds believe that they were created by Tiamat from the blood

Chapter 2: Creating an Archfey

Compendium - Sources->Dungeons & Dragons->Domains of Delight: A Feywild Accessory

complex personalities. Powerful archfey such as the Summer Queen and the Queen of Air and Darkness rule vast domains, and their influence is so great that their courts stretch beyond the borders of their

Chapter 2: Traps Revisited

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

elaborate approach — describing traps in terms of their game mechanics and offering guidance on creating traps of your own using these new rules. Rather than characterize traps as mechanical or magical, these rules separate traps into two other categories: simple and complex.

Chapter 2: Traps Revisited The rules for traps in the Dungeon Master’s Guide provide the basic information you need to manage traps at the game table. The material here takes a different, more

Ivana's Powers and Dominion

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

Ivana’s Powers and Dominion Ivana appears to be a young human woman with statistics similar to a spy. Since her arrival in the Land of the Mists, her blood has been tainted with poison, and angry red

. Ivana’s genius and cynicism, in combination with the Dark Powers’ aid, grant her insight into the nature of Borca’s people that borders on precognition. She’s always one step ahead of her rivals and has

Strahd's Torment

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

borders of his domain. His desire for novelty, passion, and conquest matches his thirst for blood. Strahd considers Barovia’s people dull inferiors, even as he resents them for the simple pleasures of hope and companionship they possess.

Adult Sapphire Dragon

Monsters Fizban's Treasury of Dragons

, I will have you know, my ancestors probably invented. 8 The sight of blood makes me queasy. Sapphire Dragon Ideals d6;{"diceNotation":"1d6","rollType":"roll","rollAction":"Ideal

of psychic forces has begun to affect the local fauna in strange ways. Sapphire Dragon Lairs Sapphire dragons make their lairs in enormous caverns and complex tunnel systems. As they grow

Baphomet

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

Baphomet Civilization is weakness and savagery is strength in the credo of Baphomet, the Horned King and the Prince of Beasts. He rules over minotaurs and others with savage hearts. He is worshiped

devoted to Baphomet use mazes and complex knots as their emblems, creating secret places to indulge themselves, including labyrinths of the sort their master favors. Bloodstained crowns and weapons of iron

Rules of the Trial

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

Valachan. Losers rot where they fall in the jungle. Violations of the rules are punishable by death. Chakuna closes her domain’s borders while the trial is underway and can change the hunt’s rules on a

Rules of the Trial On the night of certain full moons, Chakuna selects fifteen souls within her domain who she considers worthy prey. She leads the participants to Pantara Lodge, shows them every

Yaguara's Heart

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

nestled among treacherous cliffs and grasping forest. In the blood-painted caverns hidden beneath the temple lies a stone altar bearing the still-beating heart of Darklord Chakuna. Here, an aspiring

borders. Only Chakuna, the displacer beast Yana, and von Kharkov’s remains know the location of Chakuna’s heart and how to claim her power.

Minotaurs

Compendium - Sources->Dungeons & Dragons->Wayfinder's Guide to Eberron

name for the Prince. Some present the Horned Prince as a savage demon who must be satiated with the blood of enemies. Other clans see the prince as a noble war god—analogous to Dol Dorn and Dol Arrah

—who demands that his children display both courage and honor on the battlefield. While the cruel minotaurs are primarily encountered as raiders on the borders of Droaam, honorable minotaurs often work

Ramya's Powers and Dominion

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

night of the next new moon and rejoins the maharani’s army. Ramya’s living followers consider this deathless state an honor and the ultimate mark of loyalty. Blood Relatives. Ramya never compromises

with her siblings Arijani and Reeva. She constantly struggles to quell the rebellion they lead, as detailed in “Treachery in Kalakeri” later in this domain. Closing the Borders. Ramya can close or open

Chakuna's Powers and Dominion

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

. And so Chakuna sacrifices the blood of the hunted to the land to maintain her grip on power. If she doesn’t, the plants and animals of the domain grow hostile, threatening to wipe out all who dwell

the Borders. When Chakuna chooses to close the borders of her domain, the seas grow rough and the Mists rise. In addition to their normal effects (see “Influence of the Mists” at the start of this

The Rank and File

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

law that “prevents” it from offering help. Three Paths to Power Rank-and-file devils have three ways of ascending through the ranks. The Nine Hells uses a complex system of rules to quantify and

the kill alone or with the help of others. Treachery. Just as the law has complex rules for the promotion of devils under normal circumstances, it also includes contingencies for how to fill a sudden

9. The Fane

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

9. The Fane An underground cathedral opens before you. At one end, a sculptured balcony perches atop five rearing stone serpents. Blood dribbling from the serpents’ jaws falls into a semicircular

can be heard throughout the temple complex. One strike announces the start of a serpent ritual: when sounded, all the yuan-ti within the temple complex arrive here within half an hour. Two or more

Power of Secrets

Compendium - Sources->Dungeons & Dragons->Vecna: Eve of Ruin

Power of Secrets The characters can learn two secrets in this chapter that are applicable to the rules in “The Power of Secrets” section in this book’s introduction: Marian’s Secret. Marian Xavere

this chapter for more information. Rerak’s Secret. The false lich resents his imprisonment in the Tomb of Wayward Souls and never wanted to enact Acererak’s will. Rerak is the guardian of the rod piece the characters seek and waits in area T26 of the complex.

Things to Do in Tavick's Landing

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

Walls alone holds more Cyran refugees than Karrnath has allowed across its borders. If you read the Sharn Inquisitive or the Korranberg Chronicle, you’ve heard the endless litany of how difficult life

survived the Mourning did so because they were beyond the borders of their nation. And why is that? Because they were soldiers. The Sharn Inquisitive talks about starving children and ailing

The Red Belvedere

Compendium - Sources->Dungeons & Dragons->Vecna: Eve of Ruin

destroyed in the carnage of the Blood War, but a champion of Tiamat named Windfall rebuilt the casino and rededicated it to the Dragon Queen as a celebration of her god’s greed and vanity. The Red

. As the characters approach the Red Belvedere, read or paraphrase the following: Jagged mountains give way to an unexpectedly beautiful sight: a sprawling, palatial complex glittering with silver and

Chapter 9: Combat

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

wizard’s spell. The sharp tang of blood in the air, cutting through the stench of vile monsters. Roars of fury, shouts of triumph, cries of pain. Combat in D&D can be chaotic, deadly, and thrilling

. This section provides the rules you need for your characters and monsters to engage in combat, whether it is a brief skirmish or an extended conflict in a dungeon or on a field of battle. Throughout this

The Great Dance

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

The Great Dance We measure ourselves by those we fight, and my company faces the greatest threat to the cosmos. — Veritus Wrath, commander, Flawless Execution The battle lines in the Blood War

. By hiring skilled merrenoloth pilots to navigate the river, a demon lord can transport an invasion force of enormous size. Mimicking a complex dance, the two sides shift their attacks and trade

D&D Beyond

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