both back debt corrupt rather

Book of Vile Darkness

Magic Items Dungeon Master’s Guide

Archlich;Vecna authored the Book of Vile Darkness. He recorded in its pages every horrid idea, every corrupt thought, and every example of foul magic he came across or devised. Other practitioners of

damage unless the creature is a Fiend or an Undead. Destroying the Book. The Book of Vile Darkness allows pages to be torn from it, but any evil lore contained on those pages finds its way back into the

Aranea

Monsters Forgotten Realms: Adventures in Faerûn

Skilled at Crafting … 1 Exceptionally comfortable bedding. 2 Furniture made of wood and canvas. 3 Poisons that are soporific rather than lethal. 4 Poultices and unguents

humanoid-spider hybrid form, or back into its true spider form. Its game statistics are the same in each form, except where noted. Any equipment it is wearing or carrying isn’t transformed.

Sammaster (Dracolich Form)

Monsters Forgotten Realms: Adventures in Faerûn

for his demise. He drew on the warped resurrection of dracoliches to become a lich himself. He continues to lead the Cult of the Dragon from the shadows, developing new ways to control and corrupt

efficiently as he can. Sammaster personally checks in on the cult’s most important plots, often surprising his minions with his presence. Rather than keep a soul jar as liches do, Sammaster keeps

Sammaster (Lich Form)

Monsters Forgotten Realms: Adventures in Faerûn

. He drew on the warped resurrection of dracoliches to become a lich himself. He continues to lead the Cult of the Dragon from the shadows, developing new ways to control and corrupt dragonkind

can. Sammaster personally checks in on the cult’s most important plots, often surprising his minions with his presence. Rather than keep a soul jar as liches do, Sammaster keeps a magical soul

Criminal / Spy Legacy

Backgrounds Basic Rules (2014)

; specifically, you know the local messengers, corrupt caravan masters, and seedy sailors who can deliver messages for you. Variant Criminal: Spy Although your capabilities are not much different

new place is note the locations of everything valuable—or where such things could be hidden. 4 I would rather make a new friend than a new enemy. 5 I am incredibly slow to trust. Those

Vladimir Horngaard

Monsters Curse of Strahd

tracked them to their sanctuary and overwhelmed them with a vast force. Vladimir, whom Argynvost had made a field commander, couldn't hold back the evil tide and was killed, only after the heartbreak of

witnessing Strahd himself slay Vladimir's beloved, his fellow knight Sir Godfrey Gwilym. With the battle won, Strahd surrounded Argynvostholt. Rather than cower in his lair, Argynvost emerged and

Criminal - Baldur's Gate

Backgrounds Baldur’s Gate: Descent into Avernus

old debt I owe to a generous benefactor. 2 My ill-gotten gains go to support my family. 3 Something important was taken from me, and I aim to steal it back. 4 I will become the

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

Urchin Legacy

Backgrounds Player’s Handbook (2014)

of questions. 3 I like to squeeze into small places where no one else can get to me. 4 I sleep with my back to a wall or tree, with everything I own wrapped in a bundle in my arms. 5

. 3 I owe my survival to another urchin who taught me to live on the streets. 4 I owe a debt I can never repay to the person who took pity on me. 5 I escaped my life of poverty by

Dabus

Monsters Planescape: Adventures in the Multiverse

. Where they travel, cracks in the mortar seal shut, stray bricks float back into place, and ruined city blocks are restored. These are dabus, the silent caretakers of Sigil and loyal servants of the

cobblestone hands. When dabus communicate, rather than speaking or signing words, they create esoteric illusory images and symbols in front of themselves. Scholars have yet to determine the origin of

Eye of Fear and Flame

Monsters Infernal Machine Rebuild

living, commanding individuals to perform evil deeds of the undead's choosing or be destroyed. If its commands are not obeyed, an eye of fear and flame throws back its hood to reveal its skull—set

momentous decision. The undead seeks to corrupt vulnerable individuals, especially those of lawful or good alignments, by setting tasks that test its targets' moral foundations. A paladin might be ordered

Isolde

Monsters Van Richten’s Guide to Ravenloft

archfey named Zybilna, who had forged secret pacts with some of the fiends Isolde and her companions had slain. Rather than be angry at Isolde, Zybilna was impressed by her. She enlisted a powerful fiend

known only as “the Caller” to corrupt and slay all of Isolde’s companions, leaving Isolde alone, bitter, and vulnerable. The insidious archfey then befriended Isolde and offered to

Yuan-ti Nightmare Speaker

Monsters Mordenkainen Presents: Monsters of the Multiverse

. Nightmare speakers revel in torturing others, keeping their victims in a constant state of fear and dread. They prefer to terrify rather than kill their opponents. They manipulate communities for

the purpose of acquiring more victims and enjoy the company of Undead.PoisonChange Shape. The yuan-ti transforms into a Medium snake or back into its true form. Its statistics are the same in each form

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

Kelubar Demodand

Monsters Planescape: Adventures in the Multiverse

farastu minions—rather than fight directly. Demodands Demodands, also called gehreleths, are Fiends from the Tarterian Depths of Carceri. Cast into the prison plane long ago for forgotten

;{"diceNotation":"2d20", "rollType":"roll", "rollAction":"Days"} days. Even those who survive on other planes find themselves eventually dragged back, pulled by some planar tether.Acid, PoisonCold

Dragonborn Legacy

Species Basic Rules (2014)

foreign house. The sword at his back was the same, though, the one he had carried since even before he had found the twins left in swaddling at the gates of Arush Vayem. For all her life, Farideh had

DRACONIANS In the Dragonlance setting, the followers of the evil goddess Takhisis learned a vile ritual that let them corrupt the eggs of metallic dragons, producing evil dragonborn called draconians

Urban Bounty Hunter

Backgrounds Sword Coast Adventurer's Guide

. 4 I would rather make a new friend than a new enemy. 5 I am incredibly slow to trust. Those who seem the fairest often have the most to hide. 6 I don’t pay attention to the risks

take a trip down the Styx for all I care. (Neutral) 6 Redemption. There’s a spark of good in everyone. (Good) d6 Bond 1 I’m trying to pay off an old debt I owe

Selesnya Initiate

Backgrounds Guildmasters’ Guide to Ravnica

public argument with an Izzet chemister, and neither of us is allowed back into that restaurant. 7 I paid off my debt to the Orzhov Syndicate, but my good friend was not so lucky and remains

1 I never raise my voice or lose my temper. 2 I feel the pains and joys of everyone around me, friend or foe. 3 I would rather make a friend than thwart an enemy. 4 I’m

Tabaxi Legacy

Species Volo's Guide to Monsters

We had a tabaxi come through once, a few winters back. She kept the taproom packed each night with her stories and spent most days napping in a chair in front of the fireplace. We thought she was

of the world beyond their home. Barterers of Lore Tabaxi treasure knowledge rather than material things. A chest filled with gold coins might be useful to buy food or a coil of rope, but it’s

Shadar-kai Shadow Dancer

Monsters Mordenkainen Presents: Monsters of the Multiverse

their enemies from all angles with a flurry of entangling chains that hold fast and corrupt the flesh. When their quarry is helpless, they dispatch it and then loot the corpse for trinkets

the Shadowfell are often on quests to find the most sorrow-touched items they can find to bring back to their queen’s gloomy castle.NecroticShadow Jump. The shadar-kai teleports, along with any

The Abbot

Monsters Curse of Strahd

than its own, or back into its true form. It reverts to its true form if it dies. Any equipment it is wearing or carrying is absorbed or borne by the new form (the Abbot's choice). In a new form, the

some much-needed light to Barovia. His efforts worked for a while, but then the Dark Powers began to corrupt him. Imperfections. The Abbot's fall from grace started when the Belviews—a family of sickly

Hulgaz

Monsters The Book of Many Things

long, snakelike tail. In the midst of a conversation with an especially tantalizing victim-to-be, Hulgaz can’t help but whip her tail back and forth with excitement. Selfless heroes and true

martyrs pique Hulgaz’s interest because she loves the challenge of twisting and defiling the souls of such noble beings. She responds to unwavering do-gooders by redoubling her efforts to corrupt

Halfling Legacy

Species Basic Rules (2014)

Regis the halfling, the only one of his kind for hundreds of miles in any direction, locked his fingers behind his head and leaned back against the mossy blanket of the tree trunk. Regis was short

treasures locked in a cellar rather than on display for all to see. They have a knack for finding the most straightforward solution to a problem, and have little patience for dithering. Kind and

Urchin - Baldur's Gate

Backgrounds Baldur’s Gate: Descent into Avernus

. 3 I like to squeeze into small places where no one else can get to me. 4 I sleep with my back to a wall or tree, with everything I own wrapped in a bundle in my arms. 5 I eat like

owe my survival to another urchin who taught me to live on the streets. 4 I owe a debt I can never repay to the person who took pity on me. 5 I escaped my life of poverty by robbing an

Charlatan Legacy

Backgrounds Player’s Handbook (2014)

them like they were children’s books. It’s a useful talent, and one that you’re perfectly willing to use for your advantage. You know what people want and you deliver, or rather

misdeeds but might never be able to forgive myself. d6 Flaw 1 I can’t resist a pretty face. 2 I’m always in debt. I spend my ill-gotten gains on decadent

Moonstone Dragon Wyrmling

Monsters Fizban's Treasury of Dragons

scales and ruffs of emerald-green fur running down their chins, chests, backs, and tails. One horn arcs from the back of a moonstone dragon’s skull and another at the tip of the nose; the two horns

others is often difficult because I’m so easily distr… oh my goodness, is that circlet made of silver? 7 I find the waking world tedious and mundane and would much rather spend my

Young Moonstone Dragon

Monsters Fizban's Treasury of Dragons

, chests, backs, and tails. One horn arcs from the back of a moonstone dragon’s skull and another at the tip of the nose; the two horns together form a shape that’s reminiscent of a slender

… oh my goodness, is that circlet made of silver? 7 I find the waking world tedious and mundane and would much rather spend my time asleep, in the realm of dreams. 8 I find the

Reborn

Species Van Richten’s Guide to Ravenloft

sensations or visions of the past to come rushing back. Rather than sleeping, reborn regularly sit and dwell on the past, hoping for some revelation of what came before. Most of the time, these are dark

Baba Lysaga

Monsters Curse of Strahd

Shapechanger. Baba Lysaga can use an action to polymorph into a swarm of insects (flies), or back into her true form. While in swarm form, she has a walking speed of 5 feet and a flying speed of 30

that Strahd would never accept her as his true mother, nor could she bear his rejection. As a result, she has never confronted him. She would rather exist in perpetual denial, whiling away the days

Madam Eva

Monsters Curse of Strahd

castle like the back of her hand, and she was present for the wedding of Sergei and Tatyana. After Strahd went mad and murdered his brother, she fled the castle and took refuge with the Vistani. Later

the master of Ravenloft, but she has all the power she desires and doesn’t seek to supplant him. She would rather help Strahd find someone else to succeed him, although she has grave doubts about

Courtier

Backgrounds Sword Coast Adventurer's Guide

In your earlier days, you were a personage of some significance in a noble court or a bureaucratic organization. You might or might not come from an upper-class family; your talents, rather than the

looking for someone worthy. 3 I owe my guild a great debt for forging me into the person I am today. 4 I pursue wealth to secure someone’s love. 5 One day I will return to my

Kenku Legacy

Species Volo's Guide to Monsters

at the burned-out building, a sudden cacophony erupted around us. Birds squawked, cats hissed, and dogs growled. Lidda hustled us back to the city’s safer avenues. Only when we were back within

kenku, constant attempts to mimic noises can come across as confusing or irritating rather than entertaining. You can just as easily describe the sounds your character makes and what they mean. Be clear

Bugbear Legacy

Species Volo's Guide to Monsters

rather than perform the work or confront the foe. Even when subsumed into a goblinoid host and drawn into war, bugbears must often be roused from naps and bribed to get them to do their duties. This

natural state. Thanks to Grankhul, they can use their size and strength to work as stealthy assassins rather than blundering around like ogres. Bullying, murder, and engaging in battle are all holy

Pidlwick II

Monsters Curse of Strahd

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

, instead assuming that the guests had died in their sleep. But Strahd was not fooled. He came to realize fairly quickly that the clockwork effigy had begun to display a murderous nature. Rather than have

Tiamat

Monsters Tyranny of Dragons

Discorporation. When Tiamat drops to 0 hit points or dies, her body is destroyed but her essence travels back to her domain in the Nine Hells, and she is unable to take physical form for a time

effects. Magic Weapons. Tiamat’s weapon attacks are magical. Multiple Heads. Tiamat can take one reaction per turn, rather than only one per round. She also has advantage on saving throws

Adult Moonstone Dragon

Monsters Fizban's Treasury of Dragons

and ruffs of emerald-green fur running down their chins, chests, backs, and tails. One horn arcs from the back of a moonstone dragon’s skull and another at the tip of the nose; the two horns

often difficult because I’m so easily distr… oh my goodness, is that circlet made of silver? 7 I find the waking world tedious and mundane and would much rather spend my time asleep

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