borders build diffusing caste retreat

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

in a frenzy. Troglodytes make little and build less, scavenging their possessions from their prey. They understand the value of metal weapons and armor, and fight among one another for the right to

Yuan-ti Pureblood Legacy

Species Volo's Guide to Monsters

with that of snakes, producing a caste-based society of hybrids in which the most snakelike are the leaders and the most humanlike are spies and agents in foreign lands. Humans Transformed The

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

Pidlwick II

Monsters Curse of Strahd

return the courtesy, the duchess commissioned the legendary toymaker Fritz von Weerg to build a clockwork effigy of Pidlwick as a gift for Strahd's family. Although the duchess's heart was in the right

sneak out of the closet in the middle of the night, smother the guest with a pillow, and then retreat back to the closet. The castle staff never considered that the effigy might be responsible

5. Trolling the Troglodytes

Compendium - Sources->Dungeons & Dragons->Waterdeep: Dungeon of the Mad Mage

. The southwest edge of the cave borders a 30-foot-deep, yawning pit with nothing in it. Secret Door. The north wall contains a secret door that swivels on a central axis. The secret door can be seen

door, and retreat to area 7a, leaving the characters to deal with the troll on their own. The mutated troll has an extra pair of arms sprouting from its chest and a fifth arm growing out of its back. The

Emotionless Evil

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

well enough to know that they can get away with this casual disregard for life almost anytime. Furthermore, in the yuan-ti caste system, a greater yuan-ti’s life is worth far more than a lesser one’s

First Yuan-ti are likely to retreat or flee from conflict if they don’t believe they have a reasonable chance of success. This reaction isn’t out of cowardice, but practicality — yuan-ti value their

Meeting Atiba-Pa

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

. Instead of the official they expected to meet, they see a somber human man with gray hair wearing purple robes and sitting on a central rug among several books and sheafs of paper. As the guards retreat

honor to serve my homeland. I will not pass beyond our borders for any reason.” Flaw. “I can’t let them see me when I’m like this. The melancholy in my bones is mine alone to bear.”

Welcome to Lorwyn-Shadowmoor

Compendium - Sources->Dungeons & Dragons->Lorwyn: First Light

Lorwyn-Shadowmoor. This realm consists of opposing lands that twist together, their borders constantly in flux. The land of Lorwyn teems with colorful creeks, bright meadows, verdant forests, and

gentle hills. In its midst, denizens build cozy villages on endless summer days. Conversely, the land of Shadowmoor is steeped in foggy moors, jagged cliffs, treacherous bogs, and skeletal forests. Here

Humans Transformed

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

, becoming like the gods in 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

quickly coalesced into a caste system based on how complete a person’s transformation was. The vast majority of yuan-ti fall into three categories — abominations, malisons, and purebloods — while the

Expert Tunnelers

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

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 erect a railing or a wall that prevents them from

have access to on their own. If they are treated well and left alone to do the job, the kobolds work industriously and build a network of passages beneath the streets, connecting them to a nearby

It's Your World

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

, 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

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

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

Build Your Group

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

Build Your Group A head of state like Prince Oargev requires a variety of adventurers to do the range of tasks they require. Depending on the kinds of work you do, your party might include some or

Intelligence scores or proficiency in Investigation. Warden. The Warden’s focus isn’t so much on the people of the nation, but on the land encompassed within its borders, both cultivated and wild. Sometimes

Goblins

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

is a yellow-and-red striped whip made of leather. This mark of his authority is used by its wielder against goblins of a lower caste as well as on slaves and enemies. The knowledge of how to make

such a whip is enough to elevate a goblin to the master caste of lashers. Often the secret is guarded by one family in a tribe, which enjoys prestige and influence because it controls the supply of whips

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

sewer tunnels, paying them with food and tools the kobolds wouldn’t have access to on their own. If they are treated well and left alone to do the job, the kobolds work industriously and build a

Orcs

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

any humanoids that stand against them. After savaging a settlement, orcs pick it clean of wealth and items usable in their own lands. They set the remains of villages and camps ablaze, then retreat

, instead converting ruins, cavern complexes, and defeated foes’ villages into fortified camps and strongholds. Orcs build only for defense, making no innovation or improvement to their lairs beyond

Ironmaster

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

turned back, but no one should rely on the mercy of a dwarf of Ironmaster. If you were to pass beyond the borders and into Ironmaster itself, you would behold one of the wonders of the world. The

Shaengarne River. There the dwarf leader died, and his heir demanded that the folk that followed him build a settlement in tribute to Clanmaster Sstar’s grand vision of a dwarven empire. The dwarves found

Klothys's Influence

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

Klothys’s delight in the world’s natural cycles. Purphoros’s willingness to build and demolish appeases Klothys—as well as the fact that he despises Heliod as much as she does. Klothys’s

borders between the realms, as she draws horrors into the mortal realm with her and thereby raises Athreos’s ire. Of course, Klothys trusts no other god as much as she does Kruphix, who also recalls Theros’s earliest hours. The two have a deep respect for one another.

Troglodyte

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

Troglodyte Violent and ever-hungry, troglodytes squat 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

or hesitation, other troglodytes attack and eat it in a frenzy. Troglodytes make little and build less, scavenging their possessions from their prey. They understand the value of metal weapons and

21. Archpriest's Chambers

Compendium - Sources->Dungeons & Dragons->Waterdeep: Dungeon of the Mad Mage

spider, to be fashioned into wings Enough wood to build a chariot (a large raft or a zurkhwood mushroom would suffice) A weapon worthy of a kuo-toa god If the characters refuse to help, the

troglodytes, one of which has had its claws hacked off. The kuo-toa are hostile to strangers. If two or more of them are killed or incapacitated, the survivors retreat to area 21a. At the start of each turn

The Guild

Compendium - Sources->Dungeons & Dragons->Baldur's Gate: Descent into Avernus

, calling them in when it suits them — often with interest. Rivalries exist between kingpins, and their territorial borders shift constantly. As long as these internal feuds don’t disrupt Guild

illusion magic. She appears to the world as she is: an unassuming woman of middling age and build. Her forgettable looks have proven her greatest asset as a thief, as her victims have trouble recognizing

The Guild

Compendium - Sources->Dungeons & Dragons->Baldur’s Gate Gazetteer

, calling them in when it suits them — often with interest. Rivalries exist between kingpins, and their territorial borders shift constantly. As long as these internal feuds don’t disrupt Guild

illusion magic. She appears to the world as she is: an unassuming woman of middling age and build. Her forgettable looks have proven her greatest asset as a thief, as her victims have trouble recognizing

People of Akros

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

are divided into three types of duty and armed appropriately for the task before them: Alamon. Rugged forces of wanderers patrol Akros’s borders, defending against invasion or attack by monsters that

small number of serfs are skilled artisans who manage to build a more prosperous life for themselves with their crafts. But even these wealthier serfs can’t own the land they live on, and they enjoy few

Pidlwick II

Compendium - Sources->Dungeons & Dragons->Curse of Strahd

commissioned the legendary toymaker Fritz von Weerg to build a clockwork effigy of Pidlwick as a gift for Strahd’s family. Although the duchess’s heart was in the right place, the effigy didn’t have

of the night, smother the guest with a pillow, and then retreat back to the closet. The castle staff never considered that the effigy might be responsible, instead assuming that the guests had died

The Lord of Blades

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

fortress where warforged from all over Khorvaire can come and feel a sense of belonging. No one knows what the Lord of Blades plans for his followers, but many fear that he intends to build a legion of

): expeditious retreat, sanctuary, thunderwave 2nd level (3 slots): blur, heat metal, scorching ray, see invisibility 3rd level (3 slots): dispel magic, fly, haste 4th level (3 slots): freedom of

Glory of the Giants

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

thought, and it introduces themes that reappear throughout the book: Annam’s retreat from his children, the giants’ fall from grace, and the hope some giants hold for a future restoration of their

ideas about giants’ organizations and societies. Chapter 3 presents tools to help Dungeon Masters build encounters, adventures, and whole campaigns around giants. The chapter includes tables you can

Najara

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

was once easy to doubt their veracity, for what nation didn’t patrol its borders or establish communication (amicable or otherwise) with other nations? The stories of naga and yuan-ti were easy enough

Serpent Hills, where we were taken prisoner by yuan-ti patrolling the borders of their domain. The half-elf was hauled away in slaver’s chains, but for some reason I was taken to the court of Jarant

Points of Interest

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

overlooks the forest it borders. A few farms cluster around it, the locals relying on the royal garrison to keep them safe from marauders. Burle’s most distinctive feature is the small copse of trees

amounts of stone became available for building. The laborers also took the time to build a tavern, the Miner’s Respite, and spend their off hours there drinking, swapping tales, and gambling. The game

Factions of Gracklstugh

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

laird, who rules over his or her own holdings and directs the clan in dedicating its efforts toward a particular trade or craft. A caste of priests called thuldar officiate all rituals and record the

efficiency, stoicism, and hard work, and these values are exemplified in their capital. Everything the duergar make or build has a purpose and function; the only aesthetic they value in architecture is

Faerûn

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

of Five are fairly unified and tight-fisted in their control of Amn, but their ability to affect events outside their own borders is limited because they can’t agree enough on major matters of foreign

revere Silvanus, Malar, and occasionally Selûne. Given the Dambrathans’ history of domination by the Crinti, a ruling caste of half-drow, it is no surprise that they reserve their greatest hatred for

Daggerford

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

believe themselves more powerful and influential than they truly are, imitating the Lords of Waterdeep by going robed and masked to council meetings. This charade, in the eyes of most, borders on farce, as

just beneath their boots. Eaerlann. The elven kingdom of Eaerlann, a survivor of the ancient Crown Wars, stretched from the High Forest to the Delimbiyr Vale. Weakened by the retreat of much of its

Dwarves of the Multiverse

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

relaxed and open attitude toward the outside world. Because they dwell in regions that lack the towering peaks that their mountain kin favor, they build stone fortresses that start above ground and end in

deity’s influence weakened Bhaerynden and left it vulnerable to the dark elves that threatened its borders. That claim might well be true, but shield dwarf scholars point out that those who abandoned

Encounters in the Crypt

Compendium - Sources->Dungeons & Dragons->Baldur's Gate: Descent into Avernus

carved relief shows a column of mounted knights charging through a portal into a fiery hellscape. Zariel’s warlocks helped build the Crypt of the Hellriders to gain infernal power in their mortal world

C5 for details). C7. Olanthius’s Retreat This room is hidden behind a secret door. Characters with passive Wisdom (Perception) scores of 15 or higher spot the secret door once they get within 5 feet of

Geographic Features

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

their habitats. The Dreadwood Long a home of horrid monsters and vicious raiders, the Dreadwood hides within its borders a multitude of terrors. Keoland maintains ranger patrols that sweep through the

than rafts to traverse it. The Dunwater’s nature makes it an ideal stalking ground for bandits. Outlaws and evil humanoids build temporary forts along the river, keeping a watch out for anyone trying to

The Dark Seldarine

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

can be described as merciful. Because of his status as a captive, Selvetarm draws little attention from drow of high status. Low-caste drow warriors who are themselves slaves or indentured servants

surface on raids to retreat if they can see the moon — practical advice, it would seem. But an equally important reason is that Eilistraee is known to work her wiles under the light of the moon, so that

Locations A - D

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

. They refuse to leave their woods, guarding relics and ruins of ages past, and they want nothing to do with the world beyond their borders. Arn Forest This stretch of pine trees and muskeg bogs lies on

summon them to their throne hall for an audience. King Morinn and Queen Tithmel tell the characters about their suspicions concerning Ironslag and ask them to investigate. In return, they offer to build

D&D Beyond

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