borders build diffusing concept relatively

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

Fighter Legacy

Classes Basic Rules (2014)

combatants on battlefields and in dungeons alike. Trained for Danger Not every member of the city watch, the village militia, or the queen’s army is a fighter. Most of these troops are relatively

Fighter As you build your fighter, think about two related elements of your character’s background: Where did you get your combat training, and what set you apart from the mundane warriors

Halfling Legacy

Species Basic Rules (2014)

that, avoiding offense. Standing about 3 feet tall, they appear relatively harmless and so have managed to survive for centuries in the shadow of empires and on the edges of wars and political strife

communities are threatened. Pastoral Pleasantries Most halflings live in small, peaceful communities with large farms and well-kept groves. They rarely build kingdoms of their own or even hold much

Human Legacy

Species Basic Rules (2014)

build cities to last for the ages, and great kingdoms that can persist for long centuries. An individual human might have a relatively short life span, but a human nation or culture preserves

shorter lives that they strive to achieve as much as they can in the years they are given. Or maybe they feel they have something to prove to the elder races, and that’s why they build their mighty

Warforged Legacy

Species Eberron: Rising from the Last War

and crystal eyes embedded beneath a reinforced brow ridge. Beyond these common elements of warforged design, the precise materials and build of a warforged vary based on the purpose for which it was

deeper meaning. The typical warforged has a sexless body shape. Some warforged ignore the concept of gender entirely, while others adopt a gender identity. The more a warforged develops its

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

Vladeska's Powers and Dominion

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

, the Talons are terrifying. Their numbers are relatively few, but they’re organized enough to oppress Lekar’s ragged survivors and enforce Drakov’s totalitarian laws. In the face of zombie hordes

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

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

Variety in All Things

Compendium - Sources->Dungeons & Dragons->Player's Handbook (2014)

settled. When they settle, though, they stay: they build cities to last for the ages, and great kingdoms that can persist for long centuries. An individual human might have a relatively short life span

Variety in All Things

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

settled. When they settle, though, they stay: they build cities to last for the ages, and great kingdoms that can persist for long centuries. An individual human might have a relatively short life span

Origin of the Ordning

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

the ordning in some mythic future. Giants on some worlds (including Eberron) have no concept of the ordning at all. Such giants might think of themselves as a single species, with the differences

different kinds might not recognize each other as kindred at all. All these giants build a range of social structures in the same manifold ways other peoples do, without regard to an overarching ordning.

Foreward

compendium - Sources->Dungeons & Dragons->Princes of the Apocalypse

hard part was deciding how exactly to do that. We faced an important decision early on in creating the concept for this campaign. In addition to the original 1985 adventure, there was a sequel released

in 2001 a novelization, a computer game, and a variety of supporting articles and mentions strewn across docens of books. We could build another sequel or simply reprint the original adventure with

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

Aarakocra

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

it takes to guard against the incursions of Elemental Evil. Aarakocra have no concept of political borders or property ownership, and the value of gems, gold, and other precious materials means

birdlike humanoids guard the windy borders of their home against invaders from the Elemental Plane of Earth, such as gargoyles, their sworn enemies. Enemies of Elemental Evil. In service to the Wind

It's Just Business

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

these hired helpers to prominence for their importance to the campaign story. And, of course, for comic effect. When the characters are relatively low level, an Acquisitions Incorporated style of play can

-reaching power of global corporations allied with political power doesn’t just inform our own real world — it molds it. Bringing that concept of powerful corporations working with or against nobility to

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

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

Kruphix's Influence

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

the few who understand the role of mortal belief in shaping the younger gods—a concept even most gods don’t fully comprehend. Kruphix is the only being who has the ability to seal the borders between

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

the vast majority of Akros’s population, the serfs largely reside outside the protection of the Kolophon, laboring to grow the staple crops that support Akros’s citizens and its trade. A relatively

Core Assumptions

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

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

world’s fate. The World Is Magical. Practitioners of magic are relatively few in number, but they leave evidence of their craft everywhere. The magic can be as innocuous and commonplace as a potion that

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

Morgrave University

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

founding: Lord Morgrave himself is said to have made his fortune selling Dhakaani artifacts on the black market, and some have claimed that the true purpose of the university was to help him build his

fortune through such questionable means. Allies. The academic world is relatively small, and people at any one university tend to have connections at others. You might parlay such relationships into

Small and Practical

Compendium - Sources->Dungeons & Dragons->Player's Handbook (2014)

relatively harmless and so have managed to survive for centuries in the shadow of empires and on the edges of wars and political strife. They are inclined to be stout, weighing between 40 and 45 pounds

, peaceful communities with large farms and well-kept groves. They rarely build kingdoms of their own or even hold much land beyond their quiet shires. They typically don’t recognize any sort of halfling

The Mortal Realm

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

territories of the great human poleis to the dizzying peaks of the Oraniad Mountains. The line between legend and location often blurs in Theros, though. While the residents of a polis can be relatively

the gods and so prove impossible to map. As a result, Map 3.1 serves largely as a vaguely agreed upon arrangement of locations, fuzzy borders, and general distances. While the scale and placement

Modifying a Class

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

, paladins might not swear their oaths to ideals, but instead swear fealty to powerful sorcerers. To capture this story concept, you could build a new paladin spell list with spells meant to protect

to help a player express a particular character concept, and any class feature you replace is also removing an aspect of that character. Substituting a class feature should be done only to fit a

The Revered Queen

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

innermost court — the wondrous realm that Gith discovered in her journeys, and where she awaits those who have proven themselves worthy. Imagine you lack any concept of family. You’re constantly told that

Vlaakith: she knows how to build fanatics. But alas, fanatics are good for nothing of lasting consequence. The Bitter Truth In the time since Vlaakith made this promise to her people, she has called

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

Glory of the Giants

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

, and the relatively small stature of present-day humans is a mark of their degeneracy. Others imagine remote realms—cloud castles or lost continents—where Brobdingnagian people dwell, set apart from

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

Solitary but Social

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

receive relatively cordial treatment from those other hags instead. Every hag has a particular status relative to others of her kind and to hags of all sorts, based on age, abilities, influence

superstition and adapted it to their own uses, although some among the oldest hags claim to have invented the concept or at least named it. Alternative Coven Spells Some covens gather for a specific

Life in the Domains of Dread

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

about the nature of their domains or what lies beyond the Mists. This preoccupation, along with the lack of shared borders or reliable travel, means that mercantile ventures and military conquests

to deliver. The Keepers of the Feather make no assurances about the safe delivery of letters in their charge, but their services prove relatively reliable. Rumors speak of more expensive services the

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

D&D Beyond

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