borders back diffusing core recent

Incarnation of Transience

Monsters Lorwyn: First Light

spectral existence in material reality. Each incarnation resembles a saurian behemoth with an axolotl face, a many-frilled tail, and a hulking back covered in bright-orange pustules. In Lorwyn

retains its core identity but might transform physically. An incarnation of hope in Lorwyn, for example, might resemble a giant dove with a lizard’s tail and leonine legs; in Shadowmoor, this same

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

relying on constant raids and hunting to survive. They take sadistic pleasure in hunting intelligent creatures weaker than themselves and show no mercy toward those they capture and drag back to their

Caradoc

Monsters Dragonlance: Shadow of the Dragon Queen

at his core, the seneschal didn’t return as a skeletal knight but rather as an intangible spirit. Caradoc’s Undead form suits him well, allowing him to possess the living and use unwilling

’s swiftly pulled back if caught beyond its walls without a host. Personality Trait. “I might be dead, but there’s no reason I can’t live it up a little.” Ideal. &ldquo

Knight of Eldraine

Monsters Monstrous Compendium Vol. 4: Eldraine Creatures

embodiment of one of the five virtues the knights of the realm hold as standards of excellence. The recent invasion of nightmarish creatures called Phyrexians devastated the courts, with much of the

: the wildest parts of Eldraine. To that end, they patrol the forests along the Boundary Lands, turning back loggers and hunters—by force if necessary. Though they’ve renounced their

Criminal / Spy Legacy

Backgrounds Basic Rules (2014)

sold the secrets you uncovered to the highest bidder. Suggested Characteristics Criminals might seem like villains on the surface, and many of them are villainous to the core. But some have an

important was taken from me, and I aim to steal it back. 4 I will become the greatest thief that ever lived. 5 I’m guilty of a terrible crime. I hope I can redeem myself for it. 6

Nass Lantomir's Ghost

Monsters Icewind Dale: Rime of the Frostmaiden

Lantomir was an apprentice of Zelenn the White, one of five archmages who oversee the Arcane Brotherhood. Nass and Zelenn’s relationship started off well, but in recent years it has become

ghost is unable to cast the find familiar spell in order to get it back. Spellcasting. As a ghost, Nass can cast the spells she prepared prior to her death—except that the ghost can’t

Lhammaruntosz

Monsters Sleeping Dragon’s Wake

rating no higher than her own, or back into her true form. She reverts to her true form if she dies. Any equipment she is wearing or carrying is absorbed or borne by the new form (Lhammaruntosz's choice

Bahamut, which the dragon can use to commune with the deity. In recent decades Lhammaruntosz has retreated inside the shrine, becoming reclusive due to a attack by a disguised demon which has driven her

Verdan

Species Acquisitions Incorporated

. 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

spontaneous alterations over their lifetime, from the typical range of point and peak seen among the elves, to huge ears that sweep back from the head like wings, and which are often pierced behind

Faction Agent

Backgrounds Sword Coast Adventurer's Guide

use by the faction’s operatives), haven keepers, and message drop minders, to name a few. At the core of every faction are those who don’t merely fulfill a small function for that

: In recent years, the Zhentarim have become more visible in the world at large, as the group works to improve its reputation among the common people. The faction draws employees and associates

Tromokratis

Monsters Mythic Odysseys of Theros

fall unconscious. Instead, the damage creates cracks in its carapace, revealing its hearts. Tromokratis has four hearts: two on its chest, one on its back, and one at the base of its tail. A heart has an

. In recent memory, the massive menace rose from the waves to topple the Pyrgnos, Meletis’s great repository of scholarly knowledge. Since that day, the polis keeps a watch specifically for

Criminal - Baldur's Gate

Backgrounds Baldur’s Gate: Descent into Avernus

realizing the connection. You got the Guild to back off demands for your death by offering to make amends by working for the criminals, but even so the kingpin still plots a personal revenge. 2 The

work, do what needs to be done, and get paid. Anyone who pursues crime for thrill-seeking, to strike back at unjust authorities, or anything else are amateurs, and they’re liable to get you

Bugbear Legacy

Species Volo's Guide to Monsters

indolence offers no clue to how vicious the creatures are. Bugbears are capable of bouts of incredible ferocity, using their muscular bodies to exact swift and ruthless violence. At their core

in the presence of Skiggaret. Talking about such acts might call him back. Blessings of the Bugbear Gods Bugbears have no use for priests or shamans. No one needs to tell them what their gods want

Morkoth

Monsters Mordenkainen Presents: Monsters of the Multiverse

;s petrified flesh came back to life as morkoths: tentacled monstrosities brimming with malice and greed. Morkoths are driven by greed and selfishness mixed with a yearning for conflict. They hoard

fragments that make up the island’s core are also located. Sections of the lair and its center might be kept dry to better protect and preserve collected objects and creatures, but most of the lair

Orc Legacy

Species Volo's Guide to Monsters

raid just as another group returns, laden with severed heads, sacks of loot, and armfuls of food. Warriors also serve as scouts, bringing back detailed reports about the surrounding area so that the

haul as much food and booty as possible back to the tribe’s den, every tribe has a sturdy war wagon. Since orcs are poor crafters, most of their wagons are stolen from human or dwarven

Life in the Big City

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

tremendous scope of its sprawl, and its borders (if it has any) are unknown, except possibly to those who live near the edges. The story of Ravnica focuses on its core. Sometimes called the city proper

, this core is divided into ten districts, each of which is a huge urban environment in its own right. The districts are named in simple numerical order from the First to the Tenth. No correlation

Crook of Rao

Magic Items Tasha’s Cauldron of Everything

existential threats, and the crook was largely forgotten. In recent ages, though, the Crook of Rao was rediscovered and leveraged against the rising power of the Witch Queen Iggwilv (one of the names of the

within 1 mile of you. Any fiend with a challenge rating of 19 or higher is unaffected. Each banished fiend is sent back to its home plane and can’t return to the plane the Crook of Rao banished it

Saidra's Powers and Dominion

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

crimson-tinged shadow. Closing the Borders. When Duchess Saidra wants to close the borders of her domain, the Mists don’t rise. Rather, those who try to leave find themselves roaming the lands of

Chateaufaux. Stately houses stand atop gently rolling hills amid lush farmlands and vineyards, but the houses never get any closer, no matter how long one travels. And sooner or later, travelers always find themselves back on the outskirts of Port-a-Lucine.

Daask

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

system has failed them. Daask makes its money through acts of violence, from mugging to armed robbery to outright pillaging. The group has diversified in recent years, building an extortion racket

Droaamites who make up the core of Daask aren’t merely criminals; they are elite soldiers of Droaam working for Sora Katra, and part of an operation that is taking root in larger cities across Khorvaire

Vladeska's Powers and Dominion

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

behaves as if it’s their last day alive—because it probably is. Closing the Borders. Unlike most Darklords, Vladeska Drakov can’t open her domain’s borders, so Falkovnia’s borders are usually closed

. Anyone who enters the Mists surrounding Falkovnia encounters an endless number of zombies. Even if travelers somehow avoid these shambling corpses, they emerge from the Mists back in Falkovnia

Chiang's Powers and Dominion

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

handy haversack and wings of flying. She uses this robe to store scrolls detailing her most recent plans for I’Cath’s renovation. Additionally, Tsien Chiang enforces her will upon her domain in a

waking world hold the key to undermining Tsien Chiang’s hold over the city’s dreams. Closing the Borders. I’Cath is surrounded by walls and by the Mists beyond that. Chiang believes everyone in

Chapter 1: Saltmarsh

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

superior cavalry and bold knights pushed the kingdom’s borders outward to the north, west, and east. Each successful campaign increased both the crown’s wealth and power, and each one in turn drew the

in the north gave way to a string of defeats in which its neighbors pushed the kingdom back to its original boundaries. With the world closing in, King Kimbertos Skotti looked to the south and saw

It's Your World

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

It’s Your World In creating your campaign world, it helps to start with the core assumptions and consider how your setting might change them. The subsequent sections of this chapter address each

, but they’re not the only set of assumptions that can do so. You can build an interesting campaign concept by altering one or more of those core assumptions, just as well-established D&D worlds have done

Elemental Engines

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

the airship’s pilot, the elemental core can be suppressed, causing the elemental energy to disappear and flow back into the Khyber dragonshard core. An airship’s elemental core and connecting arcane

Elemental Engines Airships are powered by an elemental spirit bound to a core carved from a Khyber dragonshard. This core is placed into a heavily fortified containment chamber connected to an arcane

Adventure Summary

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

part of its original cargo and others recent invaders—Aphelion asks the party to carry out tasks on each level of the spacecraft in exchange for its assistance and rewards. Aphelion can override many

of the spacecraft’s core systems, including its arsenal of robots. Depending on how the characters respond, the computer can be a useful temporary ally or a dangerous enemy. Eventually, the party

The Mists

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

The Mists The Mists can always be found at a domain’s borders but can also appear in dense banks that rise wherever adventures demand. Such banks might veil strangers or hidden foes, or they can

wherever these wicked forces desire. The Dark Powers also grant Darklords limited ability to manipulate the Mists surrounding their domains, allowing most to open or close their domains’ borders to

Ramya's Powers and Dominion

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

her subjects. She and her soldiers kill anyone who she considers a traitor, a status extended not only to those who back Arijani and Reeva, but even to those who don’t support her vociferously enough

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

If It Exists In D&D, There's A Place for It in Eberron

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

If It Exists In D&D, There’s A Place for It in Eberron … But It May Not Be the Place You’re Used To. Eberron draws on the core elements of D&D. It’s a world of wizards and rogues, a setting with

the underworld of Khyber, the source of many aberrations and monsters. It’s the result of recent experiments by one of the dragonmarked houses or a mad artificer. It comes from one of the planes and

Yuan-ti Pureblood Legacy

Species Volo's Guide to Monsters

body, thought, and emotion. Freed from the limitations of their human bodies, the yuan-ti used their new abilities to conquer new lands and expand their borders. One Race, Many Forms The bodies of all

’ serpent gods into their religions. These victories sent a constant influx of food, ore, and slaves back to the home cities. The wealth of the empire allowed the ruling elite plenty of time to

Outcome

Compendium - Sources->Dungeons & Dragons->Tyranny of Dragons

Outcome In the morning, after another delicious meal, the characters are ushered back to the audience chamber. Eseldra Yeth is not there. Instead, they’re greeted by Nyh Ilmichh and one of the Red

, the Red Wizard teleports with them back to Waterdeep. If the tally is half the number of non-elven characters in the party or fewer, Nyh Ilmichh states that Tharchion Yeth thanks them for their

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

some other convenient way (or, in a cannibalistic tribe, eaten). Kobolds believe that if they die in service to their tribe, Kurtulmak immediately sends each of them back to life as the next egg laid in

Jacqueline's Powers and Dominion

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

rats in Richemulot are especially intelligent and eagerly obey Renier’s will. This typically involves spying for her: eavesdropping on conversations, tailing individuals, and reporting back. Closing

the Borders. When Jacqueline Renier wishes to close her domain’s borders, the Mists rise at the edge of the lands, as detailed in “The Mists” at the start of this chapter. Additionally, the Mists are filled with swarms of rats; endless waves of them attack any creatures that enter the Mists.

Core Assumptions

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

Core Assumptions The rules of the game are based on the following core assumptions about the game world. Gods Oversee the World. The gods are real and embody a variety of beliefs, with each god

deny their existence. Much of the World Is Untamed. Wild regions abound. City-states, confederacies, and kingdoms of various sizes dot the landscape, but beyond their borders the wilds crowd in. People

Outcome

Compendium - Sources->Dungeons & Dragons->Rise of Tiamat

Outcome In the morning, after another delicious meal, the characters are ushered back to the audience chamber. Eseldra Yeth is not there. Instead, they’re greeted by Nyh Ilmichh and one of the Red

, the Red Wizard teleports with them back to Waterdeep. If the tally is half the number of non-elven characters in the party or fewer, Nyh Ilmichh states that Tharchion Yeth thanks them for their

Stage 3

Compendium - Sources->Dungeons & Dragons->Hoard of the Dragon Queen

for revenge against the exiles. The Red Wizards of Thay are evil to the core, though, and the delegates must tread carefully as they present their case. The Cult Strikes Back (Part 3) The Cult of the

infiltrate a cult stronghold and claim the mask, then save a nearby village from the blue dragon that means to take the relic back. Mission to Thay The ritual that will bring Tiamat to Faerûn is too complex

Stage 3

Compendium - Sources->Dungeons & Dragons->Rise of Tiamat

for revenge against the exiles. The Red Wizards of Thay are evil to the core, though, and the delegates must tread carefully as they present their case. The Cult Strikes Back (Part 3) The Cult of the

infiltrate a cult stronghold and claim the mask, then save a nearby village from the blue dragon that means to take the relic back. Mission to Thay The ritual that will bring Tiamat to Faerûn is too complex

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