borders bad diffusing concern rarely

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

secretions, and the debris of their foul feasting. Single-Minded Brutes. Troglodytes are devoted almost entirely to procuring food. They rarely plan more than a few days into the future, instead

Gambler

Backgrounds Acquisitions Incorporated

All you need to make a lot of gold is a little gold. Except at those times when all you need to have no gold at all is a little gold. Whether you’re a good gambler or a bad one rarely matters

Catoblepas

Monsters Mordenkainen Presents: Monsters of the Multiverse

. Degenerate creatures are likely to take up residence near a catoblepas’s territory, as are those seeking to avoid notice. Catoblepases in Folklore Ordinary folk rarely see a catoblepas, but

the creature has such a feared reputation that stories about it are ingrained in the popular culture. Any rumor of a catoblepas taking up residence nearby is taken to be a bad omen, even if the rumor is

Leonin

Species Mythic Odysseys of Theros

The leonin guard the shining lands of Oreskos, a golden plain where even the gods rarely trespass. Prides of these nomadic, lion-like humanoids rarely interact with other peoples, having all they

adversaries—incredibly clever and well-prepared to play a long game but ultimately doomed to lose their games. 4 I’m certain every bad thing that happens can ultimately be blamed on the

Criminal / Spy Legacy

Backgrounds Basic Rules (2014)

abundance of endearing, if not redeeming, characteristics. There might be honor among thieves, but criminals rarely show any respect for law or authority. d8 Personality Trait 1 I

. 4 I have a “tell” that reveals when I’m lying. 5 I turn tail and run when things look bad. 6 An innocent person is in prison for a crime that I committed. I’m okay with that.

Orc Legacy

Species Volo's Guide to Monsters

rival orcs first and foremost as competitors for food and victims. On some occasions, though, tribes that have a common concern band together. The result is an orc horde — a sea of slavering

everywhere in the world around them, and the priests of a tribe are entrusted with the responsibility of identifying these signs and omens — both good and bad — and deciding how the tribe should

Satyr Legacy

Species Mythic Odysseys of Theros

. While their spontaneity and whimsy sometimes put them at odds with more stoic peoples, satyrs rarely let the moodiness of others hinder their own happiness. Life is a blessing from the gods, after

amazing things ever. I want to pick them, wear them, and discover their silent secrets. 2 There isn’t a tree or statue that isn’t fun to climb. 3 Nothing wards off bad luck like a

Vladeska's Powers and Dominion

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

executions serve the greater good and impose necessary order, but make it clear that zombies aren’t the realm’s only monsters. Only Bad Decisions. There is one simple truth in Falkovnia: the dead are

about to kill everyone. This sets the stage for countless bad decisions, from leaders making terrible sacrifices or permitting amoral acts to individuals making fatalistic choices. Everyone in Falkovnia

Akros

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

warriors produced by a culture that centers around perfecting the mind and body for war. Their armies have rarely tasted defeat as they expand the borders of Akros, seizing new lands and bounty.

Ivana's Powers and Dominion

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

per day. She rarely closes the borders, as her manipulations typically prevent her victims from leaving. She might open or close the borders to confound the whims of her co-Darklord, Ivan, though. When

. 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

Umizu

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

Umizu Residents of the city-state of Umizu enjoy their fair share of luck, but good fortune comes at a cost: a season of bad luck that arrives with the yearly monsoon. During this time, locals pray

control the city’s underground trade and administer their own brand of justice. Meanwhile, the Southwest Whaling Concern, an influential merchant organization, builds a private navy and clashes with

Criminal - Baldur's Gate

Backgrounds Baldur’s Gate: Descent into Avernus

among thieves, but criminals rarely show any respect for law or authority. d8 Personality Trait 1 I always have a plan for what to do when things go wrong. 2 I am always calm, no

tail and run when things look bad. 6 An innocent person is in prison for a crime that I committed. I’m okay with that.

Language

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

approaching prey or a call to their allies to join the fray. When gnolls fight among themselves, they rarely bother with threats or words before leaping at each other’s throats. When gnoll leaders must

knowledge of Abyssal to leave messages. In most cases, though, a gnoll war band has little use for written notes or signs. Gnolls simply wander, attack, kill, and feed. Anything more sophisticated is beyond the band’s concern.

Jacqueline's Powers and Dominion

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

brink of rage. She is rarely without guards, be they members of the Casques Silencieux, wererat bodyguards, or hidden swarms of rats. Casques Silencieux. The Darklord’s silent state police guard

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.

Aarakocra Legacy

Species Elemental Evil Player's Companion

changes in the prevailing winds that they regarded as a bad omen. Unlike the aarakocra of other worlds on the Material Plane, the aarakocra of the Realms rarely travel to the Elemental Plane of Air

Deep Gnomes

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

guards, all designed to make the entrance to a settlement uninviting. But inside its borders, a deep gnome settlement is a warren shaped and decorated by the svirfneblin to make the place welcoming and

is marked by smooth, curving shapes rather than straight lines and hard edges. Svirfneblin are intensely community-minded and have little concern about privacy among themselves. Thus, they don’t

Harkon's Powers and Dominion

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

shape, either by the moon or by other external factors. He prefers his human form, but explores different physical details as the mood strikes him. He’s rarely seen without his signature wide-brimmed

, becomes their mentor, traps them within the bond of lycanthropy, and then uses them as tools (see the “Insatiable Hungers” section later in this domain for details). Such alliances rarely last for more

Going to Neverlight Grove

Compendium - Sources->Dungeons & Dragons->Out of the Abyss

Going to Neverlight Grove Because so few Underdark travelers have ever stumbled upon Neverlight Grove, it rarely appears on any maps. Nearly all the routes leading to it are dangerous and difficult

the party. A myconid sprout traveling with a troupe of infected myconids, Rumpadump has avoided infection and can also lead characters to the grove. He also expresses concern that the corrupted spores of its previous traveling companions might have also infected its home.

Creating a Shadow Dragon

Compendium - Sources->Dungeons & Dragons->Fizban's Treasury of Dragons

endless consumption, always looking for the next thing to possess or devour. 2 I am rarely satisfied with what I have. I envy others’ lives and belongings. 3 I’m constantly calculating my

others. (Evil) 4 Aspiration. I will one day find an escape from this condemnation. (Any) 5 Self-Serving. The petty concerns of other creatures are of no concern to me. I have enough to

Drinking Deeply of Life

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

Drinking Deeply of Life A gnome is rarely bored and tries to savor every minute, for life is full of opportunities to learn, to help others, and to have fun. Gnomes are born with a fascination for

are recurring obstacles on the path to discovery, gnomes revel in the search. They savor the acquisition of new knowledge, realizing it might come at a cost, and even a series of bad results in experiments doesn’t dissuade a gnome from following their chosen path.

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

responsible for blocking tunnels to deter pursuit. Kobolds feel a cool affinity or something like kinship for other members of their tribe, but they are rarely affectionate with each other. Two kobolds

Orc Culture and Beliefs

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

around them, and the priests of a tribe are entrusted with the responsibility of identifying these signs and omens — both good and bad — and deciding how the tribe should react to them. As a race, orcs

stones, mushrooms, or any other kind of circle. Seeing a shooting star before a battle is bad luck. To ward it off, you must swallow a stone. A tribute of elf ears brings favor from Gruumsh. If you bury

Godefroy's Powers and Dominion

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

eldest spirits fear. Any spirits capable of possessing the living are permitted to do so only when Lord Godefroy commands it. The Darklord rarely allows the dead to experience life like this, and when he

, hostage. Closing the Borders. When Godefroy wishes to close his domain, fog rolls in off the sea and blankets the land. Everything in the domain that’s outdoors is heavily obscured by the fog (see the

It's Your World

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

the “Here there be dragons” notations? What if great empires cover huge stretches of countryside, with clearly defined borders between them? The Five Nations of the Eberron setting were once part of

by monstrous rulers. The populace lives in perpetual terror of these darklords and their evil minions, but other monsters rarely trouble people’s daily lives. Magic Is Everywhere. What if every town is

Elves

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

elves of Ansalon largely keep to themselves, half-elves are few and are rarely seen outside the elven nations. Silvanesti High Elves Silvanesti, the original elven kingdom, lies in southern Ansalon. For

relationships with people other than your kin. Qualinesti High Elves In Qualinesti, a scout warns of threats encroaching on the elven city’s borders Long ago, a group of high elves left Silvanesti, desiring

Blood Will Tell

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

anger and inclined to lash out at those who treat them unfairly. Having grown up among orcs or under the shadow of their heritage, half-orcs rarely have experience with pleasant society, and they often

come off as coarse, blunt, or rude in dealings with other people. With the directness of an orc, they speak their minds with no apparent concern for how their opinions are received. No matter where

Centaur

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

the wild, centaurs avoid conflict but fight fiercely when pressed. They roam the vast wilderness, keeping far from borders, laws, and the company of other creatures. Wilderness Nomads. Centaur tribes

range across lands with mild to hot climates, where a centaur requires only light furs or oiled skins to deal with inclement weather. They are hunter-gatherers and rarely build shelters or even use

Lizardfolk

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

of the world. Their hut villages thrive in forbidding grottoes, half-sunken ruins, and watery caverns. Territorial Xenophobes. Lizardfolk deal and trade with other races only rarely. Fiercely

creatures, they kill when it is expedient and do whatever it takes to survive. Lizardfolk rarely stray beyond their claimed hunting grounds. Any creature that enters their territory is fair game to be

Gambler

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

Gambler All you need to make a lot of gold is a little gold. Except at those times when all you need to have no gold at all is a little gold. Whether you’re a good gambler or a bad one rarely matters

when everyone else is telling me to. 2 I save my sympathy for my friends, and I have no friends. 3 You think we’re in trouble now? Let me tell you how bad things are likely to get! 4

Trading Post

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

the village. In any event, saving the eggs, or as many of them as possible, is the grippli’s main concern. If the characters demand payment, Pond Mother can offer the modest contents of the trading

Jans will transport the characters as far as he can, then drop them off just outside the crab maze that borders the community before turning back south.

One for All: The Stronghold

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

concern of any stronghold is defense, but older and prosperous strongholds can grow to become wondrous underground cities filled with generations of exquisite dwarven artisanship. Regardless of a

clan and stronghold are inextricably tied together — if one comes undone, the other fails as well. As such, defending the stronghold is a concern that the dwarves address even in the earliest stages

The Darkening

Compendium - Sources->Dungeons & Dragons->Locathah Rising

see the “darkening” up ahead. It’s difficult to see anything clearly within its borders, though you can vaguely make out the outline of a mountain of sunken ships resting on the sea floor, grown over

he opened (Umberlee’s Maw) have created an area in the ocean that acts like a beacon for strong, irregular currents and bad weather. Underwater, the effect manifests as a general darkness in an oddly

The Zhentarim

Compendium - Sources->Dungeons & Dragons->Out of the Abyss

knows that demons at large in the world are bad for business. The organization thus views the possible presence of the demon lords in the Underdark with the same concern as any other external threat

Forms of Worship

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

up from time to time. The burgeoning worship of a new deity is rarely a concern to the other gods of the Faerûnian pantheon, and the people who revere those deities, except when the newcomer’s area of

concern directly competes with that of an established deity. The methods of resolving such conflicts range from friendly dueling festivals or rites meant to emphasize the glory of one god over another

Burly's Plan

Compendium - Sources->Dungeons & Dragons->The Wild Beyond the Witchlight

expression. “Bad things have been happening at the carnival for a while. People and things have been going missing. My bosses know more than they’re telling, but their hands are tied somehow. You’re the first

Witchlight vane instead of the Witchlight watch, Burly asserts that the watch is easier to steal because it’s smaller and often tucked in Mister Witch’s pocket, whereas Mister Light is rarely seen without

D&D Beyond

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